TPX2 as a novel prognostic indicator and promising therapeutic target in triple negative breast cancer

Abstract: Introduction triple negative breast cancer(TNBC), lacking of endocrine therapy and targeted therapy, has the worst prognosis in all breast cancers which now remain the leading malignancy in women over the world. Targeting protein for xenopus kinesin-like protein 2(TPX2) is a microtubule associated protein which is strongly correlated with chromosomal instability, resulting in development of different human tumors. Herein, we investigated the relationship between the clinical outcome of TNBC and expression level of TPX2 protein. Materials and Methods patients initially come to Tongji Hospital confirmed TNBC by Immunohistochemistry(IHC) staining were retrospective recruited in our study. The IHC staining evaluation of TPX2 was based on the staining intensity and extent. STATA was used to analyze all the data. Results In total, 97 TNBC patients were recruited in our study. TPX2 protein was over expressed in almost all TNBC patients. Our study demonstrated that elevated TPX2 protein level was significantly associated with worse outcome of TNBC including progression free survival(PFS) and overall survival(OS)(log-rank test, P Conclusion In conclusion, we demonstrated that TPX2 could be a novel prognostic marker of PFS and OS after initial treatment of TNBC. We also revealed that TPX2 expression could serve as an independent predictor for OS but not for PFS and a promising therapeutic target in TNBC patients.