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Expression Significance of Estrogen Receptor ER-α36 in Breast Cancer Treated by Chemotherapy: A Meta-Analysis

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Abstract

Estrogen receptor (ER) is a molecular marker and target for diagnosing and treating breast cancer (BC). ER-α36, a novel estrogen receptor subtype, involved in the proliferation, differentiation, metastasis, and invasion of tumor cells. It is closely linked to the progression of various cancers. Therefore, studying ER is of high significance in treating BC. In this study, we will investigate the changes in the expression level of ER-α36 in patients with BC treated by chemotherapy through meta-analysis, so as to evaluate the clinical value of ER-α36 in the prognosis of BC treated by chemotherapy. English databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and The Cochrane Library were searched to retrieve the articles published from the establishment of the database to April 2023. The keywords included chemotherapy, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, breast cancer, estrogen receptor alpha, and ER-α36. Five suitable studies, encompassing 636 patients, were ultimately selected. The meta-analysis results revealed that, following the chemotherapy, the analysis of ER-α36 positive cases yielded an Odds Ratio (OR) of 0.42, a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.28–0.64 (Z = 4.00, P < 0.0001). Additionally, the analysis of cases exhibiting remission in BC demonstrated an OR of 2.22 (95% CI = 1.40–3.50, Z = 3.40, P = 0.0007). Compared to patients receiving single chemotherapy agents or those untreated with chemotherapy, the combined use of multiple chemotherapy drugs can significantly reduce the levels of ER-α36 in BC patients, enhancing the remission rate of BC. ER-α36 can serve as a critical indicator for assessing the prognosis of BC following chemotherapy.

Graphical Abstract

Estrogen receptor (ER) serves as a molecular marker and target for cancer diagnosis and treatment. The novel ER subtype, ER-α36, is involved in the proliferation, differentiation, migration, and invasion of tumor cells. It is closely associated with the development of endometrial cancer, as well as the progression of various cancers. This study, based on meta-analysis, evaluated the impact of chemotherapy on the expression of ER-α36 in breast cancer (BC) patients. The results indicated that chemotherapy treatment can decrease the levels of ER-α36 in BC patients, leading to an increased rate of BC remission. Therefore, the level of ER-α36 served as a crucial indicator for assessing the prognosis of BC under chemotherapy treatment.

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Data and Materials Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

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Acknowledgements

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Funding

The research is supported by: 2019 Bidding Project of Sichuan Elderly Care and Elderly Health Collaborative Innovation Center, Ping Leng, ER α Study on the expression of 36 in elderly breast cancer and its relationship with clinicopathological characteristics (No. 19Z15).

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Author notes

  1. Enping He, Xuliang Xia, and Hui Quan have contributed equally to this work as co-first author.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Cheng du Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu, 610051, Sichuan Province, China

    Enping He & Hui Quan

  2. Department of Thyroid Gland Breast Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Cheng du Medical College, China National Nuclear Corporation 416 Hospital, Chengdu, 610051, Sichuan Province, China

    Xuliang Xia

  3. College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, Sichuan Province, China

    Ping Leng

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  1. Enping He
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Contributions

EH, XX, HQ, and PL conceived and designed the study, wrote the original, and performed experimental work and data analysis and review of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Ping Leng.

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He, E., Xia, X., Quan, H. et al. Expression Significance of Estrogen Receptor ER-α36 in Breast Cancer Treated by Chemotherapy: A Meta-Analysis. Mol Biotechnol 66, 991–999 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12033-023-01029-x

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