Expression and Prognostic Value of Ubiquitin Specific Protease 18 in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Li Xia; Zhang Jingting; Liu Yanqun

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1004-5775.2025.02.004

Abstract：Objective:To investigate the expression of ubiquitin specific protease 18(USP18)in triple negative breast cancer and its prognostic value.Methods:74 triple negative breast cancer patients admitted to the Third People's Hospital of Longgang District of Shenzhen and Longgang Central Hospital of Shenzhen from August 2010 to August 2020 were selected,and their breast cancer tissues and adjacent tissues were taken for immunohistochemical detection to detect the expression level of USP18.All patients took active surgery,chemotherapy and targeted treatment according to the degree of their lesions.All patients were followed up for three years.According to the follow-up results,the patients were divided into two subgroups,namely,poor prognosis group(n=20)and good prognosis group(n=54).The general clinical characteristics and USP18 positive rate of the two groups were compared,and the prognostic value of USP18 for triple negative breast cancer was analyzed by logistic regression.Results:The expression level and positive rate of USP18 in breast cancer tissues were significantly higher than those in adjacent tissues(t=16.141,χ2=51.102;P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in age,menopause,pathological type,and tumor size between the group with good prognosis and the group with poor prognosis(χ2=0.008,0.054,1.981,0.324;P＞0.05),but there was significant difference in clinical stage,tissue differentiation,lymph node metastasis,and USP18 expression(χ2=6.136,7.320,4.489,4.282;P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that clinical stage,tissue differentiation,lymph node metastasis and USP18 positive expression were independent influencing factors of the prognosis of triple negative breast cancer(P＜0.05).Conclusion:The expression of USP18 in triple negative breast cancer patients is significantly up-regulated,and its expression is closely related to the occurrence and attack of triple negative breast cancer.Therefore,USP18 can be considered as a molecular marker for the occurrence,development and prognosis evaluation of triple negative breast cancer.