Novel prognostic markers for patients with triple-negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer characterized by poor prognosis. Currently, no reliable markers have been identified as having a predictive role for the prognosis of TNBC patients. In this study, 119 breast cancer samples, including 31 TNBC and 89 non-TNBC subtypes, were collected. The protein levels of cleaved caspase-3 (CC3), aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1), cyclooxygenase-2, Ki-67, H2A histone family member X, and phosphorylated protein kinase B protein were measured by immunohistochemical staining. The percentage of positive CC3 (P = .017), ALDH1 (P = .015), Ki-67 (P = .001), and H2A histone family member X (P = .016) staining was significantly higher in TNBC than in non-TNBC cases. Positive CC3 and ALDH1 staining significantly correlated with poor prognosis of breast cancer, the TNBC subtype and non-TNBC subtype. Positive cyclooxygenase-2 expression significantly correlated with the survival of patients with TNBC. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that CC3 and ALDH1 are independent prognostic factors for BC and non-TNBC. ALDH1 is a prognostic marker for TNBC patients.