Correlation of Clinicopathological Features and LGR5 Expression in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

LGR5 is the most robust known stem cell marker for gastrointestinal tumors, but there are few reports in breast cancer. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most malignant subtype of breast cancer, and thus identification of new cancer stem cell populations in TNBC may help to identify targeted therapies. LGR5 expression was evaluated by RNAscope, a newly developed RNA in situ hybridization technique, using a tissue microarray consisting of 43 patient samples of TNBC selected from the medical archives at our hospital. Patients were stratified into negative and positive LGR5 expression groups. Tumor necrosis was greater in the LGR5-positive group compared with the LGR5-negative group (P = .026). Mitosis tended to show a high value in the LGR5-positive group compared with the LGR5-negative group (P = .0831), while stage tended to show a high stage in the LGR5-positive group compared with the LGR5-negative group (P = .0617). Cox proportional hazards models revealed that the LGR5-positive group (overall survival (OS) = 2.12; 95% CI: 2.12-2.12; P = 0.1575) had no relationship with OS. LGR5 expression is associated with tumor necrosis of TNBC and suggested higher malignant potential.