Expression of Notch1 Correlates with Breast Cancer Progression and Prognosis

PLoS One. 2015 Jun 29;10(6):e0131689. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131689. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Various studies have evaluated the significance of Notch1 expression in breast cancer, but the results have ever been disputed. By using 21 studies involving 3867 patients, this meta-analysis revealed that the expression of Notch1 was significantly higher in breast cancer than in normal tissues (OR=7.21; 95%CI, 4.7-11.07) and that higher Notch1 expression was associated with transition from ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) to invasive cancer (OR=3.75; 95% CI, 1.8-7.78). Higher Notch1 activity was observed in the basal subtype of breast cancer (OR=2.53; 95% CI, 1.18-5.43). Moreover, patients with Notch1 overexpression exhibited significantly worse overall and recurrence-free survival. Our meta-analysis suggests that Notch inhibitors may be useful in blocking the early progression of DCIS and that the outcomes of clinical trials for Notch1-targeting therapeutics could be improved by the molecular stratification of breast cancer patients.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / mortality
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms, Basal Cell / genetics
  • Neoplasms, Basal Cell / mortality
  • Neoplasms, Basal Cell / pathology
  • Odds Ratio
  • Prognosis
  • Publication Bias
  • Receptor, Notch1 / genetics*
  • Receptor, Notch1 / metabolism
  • Survival Analysis

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Receptor, Notch1

Grants and funding

This work was supported by National Nature Science Foundation of China (http://www.nsfc.gov.cn/) (81172422, KW; 81072169, KW; 81261120395, KW; 81301929, QC) and the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province (http://www.hbstd.gov.cn/) (No. 2014CFB218, NH).