Genomic characteristics of triple negative apocrine carcinoma: a comparison to triple negative breast cancer

Experimental & Molecular Medicine, Published online: 03 July 2023; doi:10.1038/s12276-023-01030-zA comparative study reveals the distinctive genomic and clinical characteristics of a rare form of breast cancer, with implications for treatment. Apocrine carcinoma accounts for 1–4 percent of breast cancer cases. The molecular characteristics of a subtype known as triple negative apocrine carcinoma (TNAC) remain unclear. Ji-Yeon Kim at Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea, and co-workers conducted genomic analysis on tumor samples taken from 73 TNAC patients. They compared the results to samples from 32 triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) in which the low expression of Ki-67, a marker protein for cancer proliferation, was similar to the TNAC patients. TNAC patients had different genetic mutations and a better survival outcome than TNBC patients with low Ki-67. Therefore, early-stage TNAC may not require chemotherapy after surgery. Further research into TNAC genomic characteristics is warranted.
Source: Experimental and Molecular Medicine - Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Source Type: research