Potential Value of HSP90α in Prognosis of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a distinct subtype of breast cancer, accounting for 12-18% of all breast cancer cases. It exhibits high heterogeneity and aggressiveness, resulting in a poorer prognosis with a high risk of early recurrence and metastasis. Due to the lack of expression of estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), as well as insensitivity to endocrine therapy, determining a standard treatment for TNBC is challenging. The identification of potential prognostic biomarkers is crucial for developing personalized treatment strategies for patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS Our study investigated the potential value of HSP90a in TNBC prognosis. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 127 TNBC patients and 127 Healthy controls from March 1, 2019 to July 31, 2022. Venous blood was collected and tested for HSP90alpha, CEA, CA199, and CA125, and we recorded the clinical characteristics of the patients, including age, BMI, alcohol consumption status, surgical history, CEA level, CA199 level, CA125 level, HSP90alpha level, tumor size, distant metastases, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage. Univariate and multivariate methods were used to screen independent risk factors for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS HSP90alpha is not only upregulated in TNBC but is also highly correlated with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage. The results of multivariate analysis showed that distant metastasis, TNM stage and HSP90a level were independent factors associated with PFS. BMI, tumor size, TNM stage, surgical history, and HSP90a level were independent factors influencing OS. CONCLUSIONS Our research findings demonstrate a significant association between high HSP90alpha expression and adverse clinical features, suggesting a poorer prognosis for TNBC patients.