Research finds a new way to use genomic data to link invasive breast cancer with survival and outcomes

Summary

This research tested a new way to estimate if invasive breast cancer would relapse (come back) and patient survival. Researchers calculated a score, called the CS score, based on breast cancer genomic data. Previously, researchers found that CS scores predicted the survival of colorectal and skin cancer patients.

  • Invasive breast cancer is cancer that spreads to nearby breast tissue, but hasn’t spread to other parts of the body
  • The 12-chemokine gene expression score (CS score) uses genomic data to measure the activity level of 12 genes inside a tumor
  • Researchers divided breast cancer tumors into 2 groups, low and high CS scores, and compared them

What were the main results?

Researchers found that patients who had cancers with a high CS score had higher overall survival, and the cancer was less likely to relapse (come back). They also found that certain types of cancer were more likely to have high CS scores.

The researchers recommend further study to learn if CS scores can help predict how patients with breast cancer will respond to treatments.

  • Illustration of a magnifying glass representing researchers looking closely at their study.

    What did researchers study?

    Researchers calculated CS scores using genomic data from breast cancer tumors, donated by patients who joined Total Cancer Care® (TCC). Genomic data includes all of a patient’s genes (the genome). They divided the breast cancer tumors into 2 groups: Low and high CS scores. Then, they compared the 2 groups for differences in breast cancer type, survival, and relapse.

  • Illustration of two people. One has their arm raised representing volunteering.

    How many patients' data did researchers study?

    Researchers studied the tumors and medical records of 366 patients with stages 1, 2, and 3 breast cancer who had donated their data and tumor samples to TCC.

  • Illustration of a bar graph with a magnifying glass representing types of research.
    This was an observational study. Researchers looked at (observed) medical and genomic data donated by patients who had joined TCC.

The results of this research alone should not be used to make health decisions. It takes many studies for researchers to confirm findings and use them in patient care.

  • How many patients' data did researchers study?

    Researchers studied the tumors and medical records of 366 female patients with breast cancer. All of the patients had:

    • Stage 1, 2, or 3 breast cancer diagnosed between 1988 and 2012
    • Surgery at the Moffitt Cancer Center
    • Donated their data and tumor samples to TCC

  • What kind of research was this?

    This was an observational study. Researchers looked at (observed) medical and genomic data donated by patients who had joined TCC.

    This kind of study can further cancer research aimed at developing new treatments, tailoring treatments to patients, and identifying a patient’s cancer sooner.

  • What happened during this research?

    Researchers calculated the CS score for each breast cancer tumor using genomic data from patients’ tumor samples. They divided the breast cancer tumors into 2 equal groups based on their scores:

    • 183 tumors with low CS scores – the lower half of the CS scores
    • 183 tumors with high CS scores – the upper half of the CS scores

    Then, researchers compared the groups with low and high CS scores. Researchers looked for differences between the groups using data from patients’ medical records and tumor samples, including:

    • Overall survival - how long patients lived after diagnosis
    • If and when their cancer relapsed
    • Race
    • Cancer stage
    • Images of the tumor
    • The differentiation grade, which measures how different the tumor looks from regular breast tissue
    • The receptor status of the tumor (tumor type)
    • Other cancer treatments they had after surgery

    What is receptor status?

    Receptor status is a lab test result that doctors use to know a tumor’s type and decide on the best treatment. It tests a sample of the tumor for groups of proteins, called receptors. The result shows if a tumor's type is:

    • Hormone receptor positive (ER+ or PR+) - The tumor has estrogen receptors (ER) or progesterone receptors (PR)
    • Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive (HER2+) - The tumor has HER2 receptors
    • Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) - The tumor doesn't have any of the above 3 receptors

  • How researchers designed this study

    Researchers started with genomic data from 366 patients with breast cancer tumors.

    Researchers calculated the CS score for each tumor, and divided the tumor scores into 2 equal groups:

    • 183 low scores
    • 183 high scores

    Researchers compared the groups to look for differences in patient records (age when diagnosed, race, cancer stage, treatments, survival, relapse) and tumor data (tumor images, differentiation, receptor status).


    See infographic

  • What were the main results?

    Researchers found that patients with breast cancer tumors in the high CS score group were:

    • More likely to have overall survival, which means they lived longer
    • Less likely to relapse
    • More likely to have tumors that were poorly differentiated, which means the tumors grow more quickly
    • More likely to have a receptor status of HER2 positive and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)

  • How has this research helped?

    This research found the CS score can find the types of breast cancer tumors that have lower relapse rates and better patient survival.

    The researchers concluded that more research is needed to learn if the CS score can predict how a patient with breast cancer will respond to certain cancer treatments, such as immunotherapy (a type of cancer treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to help detect and fight cancer).