Adipose tissue levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in relation to prognostic biomarkers and progression-free survival time of breast cancer patients in eastern area of southern China: A hospital-based study

Evidence indicates that individual or groups of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are associated with risk of breast cancer (BC). Epidemiological studies of PBDEs and BC progression are scarce. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between PBDE burdens in adipose tissues and prognostic biomarkers of BC as well as progression-free survival (PFS) of patients for the first time. The concentrations of 14 PBDE congeners in breast adipose tissues of 183 cases from the eastern area of southern China were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by logistic regression models for the associations between PBDE levels and prognostic biomarkers. Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analyses were conducted to identify the correlations between PBDEs and PFS. The results showed that BDE-99 and 190 levels were positively associated with clinical stage and N stage respectively (OR = 2.61 [1.26–5.40], OR = 2.78 [1.04–7.46]). Concentrations of BDE-28 and BDE-183 were negatively associated with the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) (OR = 0.30 [0.11–0.81]; 0.39 [0.15–0.99]) and progesterone receptor (PR) (OR = 0.36 [0.14–0.92]; 0.37 [0.15–0.91]), and increased BDE-47 was associated with lower human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression (OR = 0.44 [0.23–0.86]). Adipose levels of BDE-71, 99, 138, 153, 154 and total PBDEs were positively associated with p53 expression (all P < 0.05). Finally, BDE-47, 99 and 183 were considered as independent prognostic factors for shorter PFS in the Cox models (adjusted hazard ratios = 3.14 [1.26–7.82]; 2.25 [1.03–4.94]; 2.60 [1.08–6.25], respectively). The recurrence risk and prognosis of BC may be closely bound to the body burdens of certain PBDE congeners. Further epidemiological and experimental studies are needed for confirmation.