Abstract

Background: Promoter methylation of tumor suppressor genes is an important epigenetic alteration that occurs in the primary stages of human tumors, including breast cancer. Identification of methylated genes and their relationship to clinical features can contribute to the prognosis and early detection of tumors. In this study, we explored the methylation status of APC and BRCA1 genes and their relationship to clinical factors in breast cancer patients.
Methods: BRCA1 and APC promoter methylation was examined by methylation-specific multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MS-MLPA) assay in formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) breast tissue from 75 patients.
Results: APC promoter methylation was detected in 30.67% breast cancer tissues and BRCA1 was methylated in 9.33% of breast tumors. Methylation of APC was associated with low histological grade (p = 0.006) and methylation of BRCA1 was related with lymph node metastasis (p = 0.017).
Conclusions: These findings suggest that the methylation status of APC and BRCA1 can be a predictive marker for early detection and better management of breast cancer patients.

DOI: 10.7754/Clin.Lab.2016.160418