RASSF1A Gene Hypermethylation in Tissue and Serum Together with Tissue Protein Expression in Breast Cancer Patients

Background: Recently genetics and epigenetics alterations have been found to be characteristic of malignancy and hence can be used as targets for detection of neoplasms. RASSF1A genehypermethylation has been a subject of interest in recent researches on cancer breast patients. Design and methods: We investigated 30 breast cancer patients and 10 control subjects diagnosed with benign lesions of the breast for RASSF1A methylation status in paired tissue and serum samples using MSP and we evaluated RASSF1A protein expression in tissues by IHC. Results were studied in relation to known prognostic clinicopathplogical features in breast cancer. Results: We evaluated 30 breast cancer patients mean age (50.9 +/- 7.7) years and 10 control patients mean age (38.4 +/- 8.6 years). Frequency of RASSF1A methylation in tissues, serum were 73% and 63.3% respectively and RASSF1A protein expression showed frequency of 46.7%. There was an association between RASSF1A methylation in tissues, serum and loss of protein expression in tissues with invasive carcinoma, advanced stage breast cancer, L.N metastasis, ER/PR negativity and HER2 positivity. RASSF1A methylation in serum showed high degree of concordance with methylation in tissues (Kappa = 0.851, P < 0.001). Conclusion: RASSF1A hypermethylation in tissues and serum and its protein expression may be a valid, reliable and sensitive tool for detection and follow up of breast cancer patients. [Heba H. Gawish, Hoda A. Hagrass and Eman H. Abdel Bary RASSF1A Gene Hypermethylation in Tissue and Serum Together with Tissue Protein Expression in Breast Cancer Patients. Life Sci J 2012;9(3):667675] (ISSN: 1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 93