Analysis of clinical significance of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and its receptor in breast cancer utilizing TCGA database / 中华内分泌外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the clinical significance of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and its receptor (GnRHR) expression in breast cancer.Methods:GnRH and GnRHR expression data in The Cancer Genomes Atlas (TCGA) database and its clinical information were downloaded. Statistically assessed was performed for relationship with clinicopathological factors and prognosis.Results:The expression of GnRH in breast cancer tissues was lower than that in normal breast tissue (0.42 vs 1.27, P=0.000) , and it was correlated with age ( P=0.046) , race ( P=0.000) , lymphnode status ( P=0.003) , ER ( P=0.000) , PR ( P=0.000) , and HER2 ( P=0.000) . The GnRH expression was higher in patients whose age ≤55 years, black or African American, lymphnode negative, ER negative, PR negative, and HER2 negative. Survival analysis suggested that the Overall Survival (OS) in GnRH high expression group was better than in low expression group ( P=0.018) . The expression of GnRHR in breast cancer tissues was similar to normal breast tissue (0.08 vs 0.07, P=0.778) , and it was correlated with age ( P=0.031) , race ( P=0.000) , ER ( P=0.000) , PR ( P=0.000) , and HER2 ( P=0.030) . The GnRHR expression was higher in patients whose age >55 years, white, ER positive, PR positive, and HER2 negative. There was no significant difference in OS between GnRHR high expression group and low expression group ( P=0.719) . Subgroup analysis showed that OS in GnRHR high expression group was better than in low expression group ( P=0.028) in the triple negative breast cancer subgroup, while GnRHR was not associated with OS in the non-triple negative subgroup ( P=0.976) . Conclusion:The expressions of GnRH and GnRHR are correlated with some clinicopathological parameters of breast cancer, and the prognosis of oreast cancer (especially triple negative breast cancer) . The GnRH and GnRHR signaling pathways maybe have tumor suppressor activity.