Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026
Live Imaging to Study Microtubule Dynamic Instability in Taxane-resistant Breast Cancers
Published on: February 20, 2017
Tau expression and efficacy of paclitaxel treatment in metastatic breast cancer
Satoru Tanaka1, Takehiro Nohara, Mitsuhiko Iwamoto
1Department of General and Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka Medical College, 2-7 Daigaku-machi, Takatsuki City, Osaka, 569-8686, Japan.
Purpose:
Paclitaxel is widely used for the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Although several mechanisms of paclitaxel resistance have been demonstrated, useful markers of paclitaxel resistance have not been available in clinical practice.
Methods:
In this study, the clinical significance of tau expression in MBC cases was established by identifying candidates with paclitaxel administration. Tissue specimens obtained from 35 patients were examined. Status of tau expression was determined by immunohistochemistry.
Results:
Fifteen cases were classified as tau-negative and 20 cases were classified as tau-positive, respectively. Sixty percent of tau-negative expression showed favorable response. Conversely, 85% of tau-positive expression showed progressive or stable disease after paclitaxel administration. Time to disease progression in tau-negative and tau-positive groups was 9.4 +/- 6.6 and 6.0 +/- 3.7 months, respectively.
Conclusions:
Patients with tau-positive expression may derive less benefit than tau-negative from paclitaxel therapy in MBC.
