Tumor-derived CCL-2 and CXCL-8 as possible prognostic markers of breast cancer: correlation with estrogen and progestrone receptor phenotyping.

Prognosis of breast cancer is believed to be a multifactorial process best achieved by complex factors including host and tumor-derived biomarkers together with traditional clinicopathological parameters and tumor histologic markers. The present study aimed at evaluating the prognostic significance of chemokine ligand-2 (CCL-2) and interleukin-8 (CXCL-8) expression in extracts of breast carcinomas through correlation with clinicopathological aspects as well as estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) phenotyping. The study was conducted on 30 Egyptian breast cancer patients diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and subjected to modified radical mastectomy. Excised tissues were used to prepare tissue sections and extracts for histopathological and immunohistochemical studies. Expression of CCL-2 and CXCL-8 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). 26 patients had invasive ductal carcinoma, grades II and III with metastasis to axillary lymph nodes and ER and PR positive phenotype. Expression of CCL-2 and CXCL-8 was significantly influenced by patient's age, menopausal status, nodal involvement, tumor grade and the ER phenotype. In contrast, it was not affected by either tumor size or PR staining pattern. Both chemokines correlated positively to each other and to tumor grade and negatively to age, menopausal status of patients and ER phenotyping. It is concluded that the angiogenic chemokine CXCL-8 and the macrophage chemoattractant CCL-2 might be useful prognostic markers where their routine follow up might be of importance in assessment of tumor aggressiveness in clinical settings.