Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
AKT activation linked to worse outcomes in cat mammary tumors
By Maniscalco, L et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2012·University of Turin, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Activation of AKT in feline mammary carcinoma: a new prognostic factor for feline mammary tumours.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study looked at 39 female cats with mammary tumors, both malignant and benign, to understand how certain proteins might affect their prognosis. Cats with tumors that showed high levels of a protein called p-AKT had a shorter time without disease compared to those without it. This suggests that p-AKT could be a useful marker for predicting how aggressive a tumor might be. The findings indicate that the behavior of feline mammary tumors may be similar to certain types of human breast cancer, which could help in developing better treatment strategies for affected cats.
People also search for: cat mammary tumor prognosis · feline cancer treatment options · p-AKT in cat tumors · signs of cat breast cancer
Abstract
The PI3K/AKT/PTEN pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of several human cancers. This study investigated the biological and prognostic value of PI3K/AKT/PTEN pathway dysregulation in feline mammary tumours. Expression of p-AKT, HER2, PTEN and steroid receptors was assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 27 malignant and 12 benign mammary tumours from 39 female cats followed up over a 24-month period. Feline mammary carcinoma (FMC) cell lines were analyzed by Western blot and the feline AKT gene sequence was characterized. p-AKT expression statistically correlated with tumour malignancy, histological dedifferentiation and clinical recurrence. The animals with tumours expressing p-AKT had a shorter disease-free period than those with p-AKT-negative tumours. AKT activation was associated with HER2 expression and PTEN down-regulation, as occurs in human breast cancer, and feline AKT sequencing showed high homology with the human AKT gene. No AKT activation was observed in relation to either oestrogen receptor α (ERα) or progesterone receptor expression. Taken together, these data offer an explanation for AKT signalling and its role in FMC pathogenesis and prognosis, shedding new light on similarities between feline mammary tumours and hormone-independent breast cancer.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21282070/