AUTHOR=Chai Jie , Liu Xiangli , Hu Xinju , Wang Chunfang 

TITLE=Correlation analysis of circulating tumor cells and Claudin-4 in breast cancer

JOURNAL=Pathology and Oncology Research

VOLUME=Volume 29 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.por-journal.com/journals/pathology-and-oncology-research/articles/10.3389/pore.2023.1611224

DOI=10.3389/pore.2023.1611224

ISSN=1532-2807

ABSTRACT=Objective: To explore the relationship among peripheral blood circulating tumor cells (CTCs), the expression of Claudin-4 in the patients with breast cancer, further its potential impact on clinical prognosis, risk assessment.: Classification and enumeration of circulating tumour cells in the blood of breast cancer patients by CTC-enriched in situ hybridization and detection of Claudin-4 expression by immunohistochemistry, analysis of the correlation between the two and comparison of their impact on clinical parameters and prognosis. Results: There were 38 patients with low expression of Claudin-4 and 27 patients with high expression of Claudin-4. Compared with claudin-4 low expression patients, the number of CTCs was higher in patients with high Claudin-4 expression (11.7 vs. 7.4, P<0.001). The high Claudin-4 expression was associated with a lower count of epithelial CTCs (E-CTCs) (3.4 vs. 5.0, P=0.033), higher counts of mesenchymal CTCs (M-CTC) (4.4 vs. 1.1, P<0.001) and epithelial/mesenchymal CTCs (E/M-CTCs) (4.0 vs. 3.5, P=0.021). The intensity of Claudin-4 was positively correlated with CTC (rs=0.43, P=0.001). Multivariate COX regression analysis showed that CTC count ( HR=1.3, P< 0.001 ), claudin-4 ( HR= 4.6, P=0.008 ) and Lymphatic metastasis ( HR=12.9, P=0.001 ) were independent factors for poor prognosis. COX regression of CTC classification showed that epithelial/mesenchymal CTCs (E/M-CTC) 2 ( HR=1.9, P=0.001 ) and mesenchymal CTCs (M-CTC) (HR = 1.5, P=0.001) were independent influencing factors of adverse reactions in breast cancer patients.The number of CTC in breast cancer is positively correlated with the expression of Claudin-4. High CTC counts and a high proportion of M-CTCs correlated with claudin-4 expression. CTC counts and claudin-4 expression were independent predictors of poor prognosis in breast cancer patients.This cross-sectional study included patients who underwent routine surgical resection and were pathologically confirmed as having breast cancer at the First Affiliated