miRNAs expression in breast cancer tumor tissues with or without axillary lymph nodes metastastsis

Differential RNAs expression analysis by microarray was used to identify miRNAs differentially expressed in primary breast cancer tumor tissues that have developed axillary lymph nodes metastases or not. To generate miRNA expression profiles, 24 fresh tumour samples were obtained from breast cancer patients whose tumor size are less than 3cm at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer center. Twelve patients with axillary lymph node metastasis were matched with the other twelve patients who were axillary lymph noedes non-metastasis according to tumor size and molecular subtypes. We then assessed differential miRNAs expression between primary tumor tissues with or without lymph node metastasis pathologically.