High nerve density in breast cancer is associated with poor patient outcome

• DOI: 10.1096/fba.2021-00147
• Publication Date: 2022-02-24T17:30:14Z
• Authors: Dong Li; Li Na Hu; Si Min Zheng; Ting La; Li Yuan Wei; Xiao Jun Zhang; Zhen Hua Zhang; Jun Xing; Li Wang; Ruo Qi Li; Qin Zhu; Rick F. Thorne; Yu Chen Feng; Hubert Hondermarck; Xu Dong Zhang; Li Li; Jin Nan Gao
• Keywords: Peripheral Nervous System

Abstract Active crosstalk between the nervous system and breast cancer cells has been experimentally demonstrated in vitro animal models. However, low frequencies of peripheral nerve presence human cancers reported previous studies (~30% cases) potentially negate a major role development progression. This study aimed to clarify incidence nerves within delineate associations with clinicopathological features. Immunohistochemical staining was conducted formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded tissue sections using antibodies against pan‐neuronal markers protein gene product 9.5 growth‐associated 43, sympathetic nerve‐specific marker tyrosine hydroxylase. Nerve trunks isolated fibers were quantitated. The chi‐squared test used determine counts parameters. log‐rank compare differences patient progression‐free survival (PFS) overall (OS). frequency 85%, markedly higher proportion than previously. Of note, most present origin. While high density or associated poor PFS OS patients, trunk appeared also predict independently lymph node metastasis. Innervation is common event correlated outcomes. These findings support notion that plays an active pathogenesis.