Dissertation committee:
Δέσποινα Περρέα, Ομότιμη Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Κωνσταντίνος Κόντζογλου, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ, Επιβλέπων
Αφροδίτη Νόννη, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Ευστάθιος Αντωνίου, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Περικλής Τόμος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Δημήτριος Δημητρούλης, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Δημήτριος Σχίζας, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Introduction: Breast cancer - which is known to human from ancient times - is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. It is the second leading cause of death from malignancy after lung cancer in developed countries, despite advances in both diagnosis and treatment. This is the reason why research is oriented towards new strategies, while the knowledge of the molecular background and the mechanisms involved is expected to be the basis for the development of new, more effective treatments. In this context, it has been found that dysfunctions in the equilibrium of acetylation and deacetylation of histones by acetyltransferases (HAT) and histone deacetylases (HDAC) respectively, participate in the occurrence of malignancies. In fact, over-expression of HDAC has been detected in a variety of cancers while their inhibitors (Histone deacetylase inhibitors, HDACI) are already used in clinical practice to treat mainly hematological malignancies. However, in the case of breast cancer, the data remain incomplete.
Aim: The aim of the present study is to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of HDAC-2 in breast cancer and to highlight its targeting as a future anti-cancer treatment strategy.
Material and Methods: Sample tissues from breast cancer patients were evaluated immunohistochemically for HDAC-2 expression and its association with clinicopathological parameters of the patients.
Results: A strong HDAC-2 expression was associated with lobular cancer type, grade III and stage III. In addition, HDAC-2 over-expression was associated with reduced survival. Finally, a significant correlation was found between the increased expression of HDAC-2 and the negative expression of C-erb B-2.
Conclusions: The aforementioned results of this study pave the way for new therapeutic strategies. Further studies are needed to highlight HDACI as a new class of targeted therapy for breast cancer.
