Purpose: Our aim was to determine the role of Annexin A2 (AnxA2), which we have previously found to contribute to the aggressiveness of TNBC, with AA TNBC patients and clinical outcome.
Methods: We analyzed TCGA breast cancer database (n = 1098) to observe AnxA2 expression within breast cancer subtypes and is correlation with overall survival. Further, we examined breast tissue specimens (n = 119) through chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) and specimen were scored independently by two pathologists in a blinded study.
Results: In our TCGA analysis, high expression of AnxA2 was correlated with poor survival in patients with TNBC. AnxA2 gene expression was not correlated with poor survival in other breast cancer subtypes. AnxA2 average CISH intensity score (CISH score = 0, null expression to 3, high expression) for TNBC was significantly higher in comparison to estrogen receptor and/or progesterone receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor positive, and non-malignant tissues. Furthermore, AnxA2 average score was significantly higher in AA TNBC patients (CISH average score = 2.45 ± 0.3266) in comparison to Caucasian TNBC patients (CISH average score = 1.1 ± 0.4069).
Conclusion: AnxA2 is overexpressed in TNBC, implicating AnxA2 as a contributor to the aggressive biology of TNBC in AA women.
Keywords: African American; Annexin A2; Biomarker; Prognosis; Triple-negative breast cancer.