SLC35A2 expression is associated with HER2 expression in breast cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• The role of Solute carrier family 35 member A2 (SLC35A2) in breast cancer pathogenesis is not well-defined.
• Limited data exists regarding the clinical significance of SLC35A2 in breast cancer patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the expression levels of SLC35A2 in breast cancer tissues compared to non-neoplastic tissues.
• To analyze the correlation between SLC35A2 expression and clinicopathological features, including HER2 status.
• To evaluate the impact of SLC35A2 expression on overall survival in breast cancer patients.

Main Methods:

• Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on 320 breast cancer tissues and 40 adjacent non-neoplastic tissues.
• Statistical analyses were used to assess the association between SLC35A2 expression and clinicopathological variables.
• Survival analysis was conducted to determine the prognostic value of SLC35A2 expression.

Main Results:

• SLC35A2 was significantly overexpressed in breast cancer tissues compared to adjacent non-neoplastic tissues (P = 0.020).
• SLC35A2 expression was independently correlated with HER2 positivity (P = 0.001).
• Low SLC35A2 expression was associated with a more favorable prognosis in the HER2-positive subtype breast cancer (P = 0.017).

Conclusions:

• SLC35A2 is upregulated in breast cancer and may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker, particularly for the HER2-positive subtype.
• Decreased SLC35A2 expression in HER2-positive breast cancer patients indicates improved long-term outcomes.