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High expression of long non-coding RNA MALAT1 in breast cancer is associated with poor relapse-free survival

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Abstract

Purpose

Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) has been identified as a prognostic marker for the metastasis of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLCs). We studied MALAT1 expression in breast cancer in relation to disease features and patient survival.

Methods

Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure MALAT1 expression in tumor samples of 509 breast cancer patients. Hazards ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess the association between MALAT1 expression and breast cancer survival using the Cox proportional hazards regression model, and the analysis was adjusted for age at surgery, tumor grade, disease stage, and hormone receptor status. Meta-analysis of multiple microarray datasets from online databases and our own study was performed to evaluate the association of MALAT1 with breast cancer survival.

Results

Patients with low-grade or ER-positive tumors had higher expression of MALAT1 compared to those with high-grade (p = 0.013) or ER-negative (p = 0.0002) tumors. Patients with PR-positive tumors also had higher MALAT1 expression than those with PR-negative tumors (p < 0.0001). In patients with positive hormone receptors or low tumor grade, tumors with high MALAT1 expression were more likely to recur. Survival analysis showed that patients with high expression of MALAT1 had a twofold increase in risk of relapse (p = 0.0083) compared to those with low expression. This association remained significant after adjustment for age at surgery, disease stage, tumor grade, and hormone receptor status. Meta-analysis showed that high MALAT1 expression was associated with poor relapse-free survival in patients with hormone receptor-positive tumors (HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.08–1.92).

Conclusions

High expression of lncRNA MALAT1 is associated with breast cancer relapse and may play a role in tumor progression.

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Acknowledgements

University of Hawaii Cancer Center supported the study. Dr. Yuki Obata was supported by the Kinjo Gakuin University-Parent Teacher Association Research Grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Epidemiology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, 701 Ilalo Street, Honolulu, HI, 96813, USA

    Zhanwei Wang, Yi Shen, Yuanyuan Fu, Lenora W. M. Loo, Wei Jia & Herbert Yu

  2. Department of Surgical Sciences, Gynecology, AOU Città della Salute, University of Torino School of Medicine, Turin, Italy

    Dionyssios Katsaros

  3. Department of Surgical Sciences, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Torino School of Medicine, Mauriziano Hospital, Turin, Italy

    Nicoletta Biglia

  4. Department of Molecular Biosciences & Bioengineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA

    Yuanyuan Fu

  5. College of Pharmacy, Kinjo Gakuin University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan

    Yuki Obata

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  1. Zhanwei Wang
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  2. Dionyssios Katsaros
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  3. Nicoletta Biglia
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  4. Yi Shen
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  5. Yuanyuan Fu
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  6. Lenora W. M. Loo
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  7. Wei Jia
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  8. Yuki Obata
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  9. Herbert Yu
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Correspondence to Herbert Yu.

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Wang, Z., Katsaros, D., Biglia, N. et al. High expression of long non-coding RNA MALAT1 in breast cancer is associated with poor relapse-free survival. Breast Cancer Res Treat 171, 261–271 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-018-4839-2

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