Prognostic Implications of Claudin 4 and Rock 1 in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with characteristically poor prognosis. Tumor invasion and metastasis lead to high mortality of patients with breast cancer. The identification of biomarkers that allow early detection of metastasis is essential for therapeutic success in the treatment of breast cancer. This study aimed to asses the immune-histochemical expression of Rock-1 and claudin-4 in triple negative breast cancer and comparing them with classic prognostic parameters as age, grade, lymph node state, distant metastasis and stage to evaluate their prognostic significance in triple negative breast cancer. Material and methods: Forty cases of triple negative breast cancer were examined immunohistochemically using antibodies against claudin 4 and ROCK 1. Results: There was a difference in the expression of claudin 4 and Rock 1 among different clinicopathological parameters. A statistically significant relationship was found between high claudin 4 expression and higher age at time of diagnosis, advanced tumor stage, presence of distant metastasis and increased number of nodal involvement (p=0.041, 0.006, 0.001 and < 0.001 respectively). A highly statistically significant relationship was detected between high Rock 1 expression and increased number of nodal involvement (p <0.001). Also the expression of Rock 1 was different according to different age groups, tumor grades, tumor stages and presence or absence of distant metastasis but this difference was statistically insignificant (p=0.388, 0.602, 0.699 and 0. 944 respectively). Conclusion: our data suggest that claudin 4 and ROCK 1 are biomarkers of poor prognosis of patients with triple negative breast cancer.