Relationship between expression of RBM38 and distant metastasis and prognosis of breast cancer

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the expression of RNA-binding protein 38 (RBM38) and distant metastasis and prognosis of breast cancer. Methods: A total of 161 cases of breast cancer tissues were selected, and the expression of RBM38 was detected by immunohistochemical SP method. The relationship between the expression of RBM38 and the distant metastasis and prognosis of breast cancer patients were analyzed. Cox regression model was applied to analyze the influence factors of distant metastasis of breast cancer. Results: Among the 161 breast cancer patients, high expression of RBM38 was observed in 85 cases and low expression was observed in 76 cases. Log rank test showed that the distant metastasis rate of RBM38 highly expressed group was significantly lower than that of RBM38 lowly expressed group (P=0.010), while the survival rate was significantly higher (P=0.009). Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that the pathological stage (P=0.001), axillary lymph node positive (P=0.001), and the expression of RBM38 (P=0.015) were dramatically related to the distant metastasis of breast cancer patients. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that positive axillary lymph node was an independent risk factor (RR=4.222, 95% CI: 1.235-14.432), and high expression of RBM38 was an independent protective factor (RR=0.328, 95% CI: 0.128-0.839) of distant metastasis of breast cancer patients. Conclusion: High expression of RBM38 is positively related with low distant metastasis rate and good prognosis of breast cancer patients. Hence, high expression of RBM38 is an independent protective factor of distant metastasis.