Identification of biomarker associated with Trop2 expression in breast cancer: Potential implication for targeted therapy.

Abstract

e15120 Background: Trop2 has been confirmed to enhance tumor proliferation, metastasis and invasion in various epithelial tumors. Breast cancer (BC) patients with high Trop2 protein expression have better prognosis and objective response rates. Thus, this study aimed to explore potential biomarker associated with Trop2 protein expression in BC. Methods: BC patients with complete clinical parameters were enrolled, including age, estrogen receptor (ER) status, progesterone receptor (PR) status, human epithelial growth factor receptor 2 (HER2 status), molecular subtype, Ki67 status, T stage, N stage, TNM stage, PD-L1 and Trop2 protein expression level. Univariate and multivariate ordinal logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the independent factor for Trop2 protein expression level. Immunohistochemical analysis was conducted to detect the protein expression level of Trop2 in BC. Kaplan–Meier analysis and the log-rank test were executed to assess the survival difference between low- and high- gene expression level of Trop2. Results: A total of 65 BC patients from the Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital were included. Based on the univariate and multivariate ordinal logistic regression analyses, Ki67 status was the only independent factor for Trop2 protein expression level (P < 0.05). This finding revealed that BC patients with higher Ki67 status may harbor higher Trop2 protein expression level. According to cBioPortal database, the mutation rate of Trop2 was 2.1% and mutation type was amplification. BC patients with low Trop2 gene expression level had significantly greater survival prognosis (P < 0.05). Conclusions: We performed the comprehensive analysis of the Trop2 in BC patients. It has the potential to guide individualized targeted treatment in BC patients.