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Breast Cancer Research
Published in: Breast Cancer Research 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research article

The footprint of the ageing stroma in older patients with breast cancer

Authors: Barbara Brouwers, Debora Fumagalli, Sylvain Brohee, Sigrid Hatse, Olivier Govaere, Giuseppe Floris, Kathleen Van den Eynde, Yacine Bareche, Patrick Schöffski, Ann Smeets, Patrick Neven, Diether Lambrechts, Christos Sotiriou, Hans Wildiers

Published in: Breast Cancer Research | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

Tumours are not only composed of malignant cells but also consist of a stromal micro-environment, which has been shown to influence cancer cell behaviour. Because the ageing process induces accumulation of senescent cells in the body, this micro-environment is thought to be different in cancers occurring in old patients compared with younger patients. More specifically, senescence-related fibroblastic features, such as the senescence-associated secretory profile (SASP) and the induction of autophagy, are suspected to stimulate tumour growth and progression.

Methods

We compared gene expression profiles in stromal fields of breast carcinomas by performing laser capture microdissection of the cancer-associated stroma from eight old (aged ≥80 years at diagnosis) and nine young (aged <45 years at diagnosis) patients with triple-negative breast cancer. Gene expression data were obtained by microarray analysis (Affymetrix). Differential gene expression and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were performed.

Results

Differential gene expression analysis showed changes reminiscent of increased growth, de-differentiation and migration in stromal samples of older versus younger patients. GSEA confirmed the presence of a SASP, as well as the presence of autophagy in the stroma of older patients.

Conclusions

We provide the first evidence in humans that older age at diagnosis is associated with a different stromal micro-environment in breast cancers. The SASP and the presence of autophagy appear to be important age-induced stromal features.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
The footprint of the ageing stroma in older patients with breast cancer
Authors
Barbara Brouwers
Debora Fumagalli
Sylvain Brohee
Sigrid Hatse
Olivier Govaere
Giuseppe Floris
Kathleen Van den Eynde
Yacine Bareche
Patrick Schöffski
Ann Smeets
Patrick Neven
Diether Lambrechts
Christos Sotiriou
Hans Wildiers
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Breast Cancer Research / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1465-542X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13058-017-0871-0

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