The intra-tumoural stroma in patients with breast cancer increases with age

Vangangelt, K.M.H.; Kramer, C.J.H.; Bastiaannet, E.; Putter, H.; Cohen, D.; Pelt, G.W. van; ... ; Mesker, W.E. (2020)

Article / Letter to editor

Purpose The tumour microenvironment in older patients is subject to changes. The tumour-stroma ratio (TSR) was evaluated in order to estimate the amount of intra-tumoural stroma and to evaluate the prognostic value of the TSR in older patients with breast cancer (>= 70 years). Methods Two retrospective cohorts, the FOCUS study (N = 619) and the Nottingham Breast Cancer series (N = 1793), were used for assessment of the TSR on haematoxylin and eosin stained tissue slides. Results The intra-tumoural stroma increases with age in the FOCUS study and the Nottingham Breast Cancer series (B 0.031, 95% CI 0.006-0.057, p = 0.016 and B 0.034, 95% CI 0.015-0.054, p < 0.001, respectively). Fifty-one per cent of the patients from the Nottingham Breast Cancer series < 40 years had a stroma-high tumour compared to 73% of the patients of >= 90 years from the FOCUS study. The TSR did not validate as an independent prognostic parameter in patients >= 70 years. Conclusions The intra-tumoural stroma increases with age. This might be the result of an activated tumour microenvironment. The TSR did not validate as an independent prognostic parameter in patients >= 70 years in contrast to young women with breast cancer as published previously.

• Breast cancer
• Tumour-stroma ratio
• Ageing
• Microenvironment
• Prognosis

• All authors: Vangangelt, K.M.H.; Kramer, C.J.H.; Bastiaannet, E.; Putter, H.; Cohen, D.; Pelt, G.W. van; Rakha, E.A.; Green, A.R.; Tollenaar, R.A.E.M.; Mesker, W.E.
• Date: 2020-01-01
• Journal: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
• Volume: 179
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 37 - 45
• DOI: doi:10.1007/s10549-019-05422-6
• Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10549-019-05422-6