The prognostic significance of tumour-stroma ratio in oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer
C L Downey, S A Simpkins, J White, D L Holliday, J L Jones, L B Jordan, J Kulka, S Pollock, S S Rajan, H H Thygesen, A M Hanby, V Speirs, C L Downey, S A Simpkins, J White, D L Holliday, J L Jones, L B Jordan, J Kulka, S Pollock, S S Rajan, H H Thygesen, A M Hanby, V Speirs
Abstract
Background: A high percentage of stroma predicts poor survival in triple-negative breast cancers but is diminished in studies of unselected cases. We determined the prognostic significance of tumour-stroma ratio (TSR) in oestrogen receptor (ER)-positive male and female breast carcinomas.
Methods: TSR was measured in haematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue sections (118 female and 62 male). Relationship of TSR (cutoff 49%) to overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) was analysed.
Results: Tumours with ≥49% stroma were associated with better survival in female (OS P=0.008, HR=0.2-0.7; RFS P=0.006, HR=0.1-0.6) and male breast cancer (OS P=0.005, HR=0.05-0.6; RFS P=0.01, HR=0.87-5.6), confirmed in multivariate analysis.
Conclusions: High stromal content was related to better survival in ER-positive breast cancers across both genders, contrasting data in triple-negative breast cancer and highlighting the importance of considering ER status when interpreting the prognostic value of TSR.
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Source: PubMed