Analysis of the Immunoexpression of Opioid Receptors and their Correlation with Markers of Angiogenesis, Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis in Breast Cancer.
Asian Pac J Cancer Prev
; 22(2): 633-640, 2021 Feb 01.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33639684
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
Breast cancer is a disease of great concern. The prognosis of this tumor is related to its staging. Opioids are widely used to minimize pain in oncology clinics; however, the relationship between the administration of opioids and their effects on tumor cells has yet to be elucidated. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the immunoexpression of mu- (µ) and kappa- (κ) opioid receptors and their correlation with markers of angiogenesis, cell proliferation, and apoptosis in biopsies of breast tumors.METHODS:
Demographic data, tumor characteristics, opioid use, and prognostic factors were collected from medical records. After the selection of the excisional biopsies, immunohistochemistry was performed for µ- and κ-opioid receptors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Ki-67, and TUNEL.RESULTS:
A significant predominance of Ki-67 and µ-opioid receptor immunoexpression in the lymph nodes was observed in patients administered opioid medications. The luminal A subtype showed higher apoptosis levels (TUNEL) compared to the luminal B subtype. Patients with T4 tumor who had recurrence demonstrated a reduced expression of κ-opioid receptors at the lymph node location. Correlation analyses between the µ and κ opioid markers, VEGF, Ki-67, and TUNEL showed that these findings are likely involved in the same mechanisms the cancer of T4 stage breast cancer.CONCLUSION:
The κ-opioid receptor has a lower immunoexpression in nodal tumor metastasis with recurrence, whereas the µ-opioid receptor is directly related to expression of TUNEL-positive cells in tumors and indirectly to Ki-67 in nodal metastasis. Neither of the two receptors was expressed in the primary tumor or nodal metastasis in relation to VEGF.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Breast Neoplasms
/
Receptors, Opioid, kappa
/
Receptors, Opioid, mu
/
Lymph Nodes
Type of study:
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
Asian Pac J Cancer Prev
Journal subject:
NEOPLASIAS
Year:
2021
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brasil