Journal article

A different immunologic profile characterizes patients with HER-2-overexpressing and HER-2-negative locally advanced breast cancer: implications for immune-based therapies

Elena Muraro, Debora Martorelli, Elisa Turchet, Gianmaria Miolo, Simona Scalone, Elisa Comaro, Renato Talamini, Katy Mastorci, Davide Lombardi, Tiziana Perin, Antonino Carbone, Andrea Veronesi, Diana Crivellari, Riccardo Dolcetti

BREAST CANCER RESEARCH | BIOMED CENTRAL LTD | Published : 2011

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The clinical efficacy of trastuzumab and taxanes is at least partly related to their ability to mediate or promote antitumor immune responses. On these grounds, a careful analysis of basal immune profile may be capital to dissect the heterogeneity of clinical responses to these drugs in patients with locally advanced breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from 61 locally advanced breast cancers (36 HER2- and 25 HER2+) at diagnosis and from 23 healthy women. Immunophenotypic profiling of circulating and intratumor immune cells, including regulatory T (Treg) cells, was assessed by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry, respectiv..

View full abstract

Grants

Awarded by Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro


Funding Acknowledgements

The authors thank Miss S. Colussi for editing the manuscript and S. Bergamin, for his technical support. The study was supported in part by grants from the Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (contract 10301 to R.D.).