Abstract:
Objective This work aimed to assess the expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) transcription factor in invasive ductal breast carcinoma (IDBC) and its correlation with the clinicopathological characteristics.
Methods The clinicopathological characteristics of 129 IDBC patients after radical surgery were retrospectively analyzed. The expression levels of STAT3, estrogen and progesterone receptor, Her-2 proto-oncogene and Ki-67 antigen protein, as well as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C and VEGF-D in tumor tissues were determined. Correlation analyses were performed using univariate (chi-squared) and multivariate (logistic regression) analyses. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to determine the factor most closely correlated with STAT3 expression in IDBC. Linear regression was conducted to demonstrate the relationship between the closest correlation factor and STAT3 expression in IDBC.
Results Univariate analysis showed that age, T stage, N stage, tumor–node–metastasis classification, Ki-67 expression, as well as VEGF-C and -D expression were related to STAT3 expression. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that VEGF-C expression, VEGF-D expression, N stage, and age were independent correlation factors of STAT3 expression in IDBC. After multinomial logistic regression analysis, VEGF-D expression had the least values of Akaike's and Bayesian information criteria, which were the closest correlation factors of STAT3 expression. Asignificant correlation was also observed between STAT3 and VEGF-D expression following Spearman's correlation and linear regression analyses.
Conclusions STAT3 expression is significantly correlated with VEGF-D expression, which may contribute to lymph node metastasis in IDBC.
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