Objective: To investigate the relationship between expression of nm23 gene and distant metastasis and prognosis in breast cancer.
Methods: To detect nm23 protein expression in 101 patients with breast cancer by means of immunohistochemistry and nm23 mRNA expression in 68 patients with breast cancer by RT-PCR.
Results: Expression of nm23 gene was inversely correlated with distant metastasis and lymph node metastasis. Among 9 patients with negative node but with distant metastasis, 7 had low expression of nm23. In 29 patients with positive nodes but without distant metastasis, 24 had high expression of nm23, while 6 of 6 patients with positive nodes and distant metastasis expressed high levels of nm23 mRNA.
Conclusion: Expression of nm23 gene, tumor size and status of axillary lymph node are independent prognostic indicators to breast cancer prognosis.