GEP signatures in tumors from women with high grade early breast cancer

Several molecular signatures are able to predict the activity of adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. However, no molecular data are already available to detect microenvironment molecular signature that can identify patients who are good candidates for treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). For this reason, in a series of women with operable high grade breast cancer (HGBC), we tried to combine the ECM3 and IFN molecular signatures reflecting different aspects of tumor microenvironment that can better draw the picture of the tumor microenvironment in which the immune cells are in close contact with extracellular matrix. Subgroup of G3 tumors extracted from the ECTO1 study (Gianni L. et al, JCO 2009) All gene expression data considered were from previously untreated patients. Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to assess associations with Overall Survival (OS). Characterization of the tumor immune microenvironment was achieved evaluating gene expression patterns scores of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and their phenotypes as assessed by immunohistochemistry.