Expression Levels and Clinical Significance of WEE1 and mTOR in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Abstract

WEE1 G2 checkpoint kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin expression levels are implicated in increasing mortality risk in triple-negative breast cancer patients, and we investigated their expression patterns and clinical significance in triple-negative breast cancer. A total of 67 triple-negative breast cancer patients were selected as the subjects of this case series analysis, with cancer/normal adjacent tissues, clinical baseline, and pathological data collected. WEE1 G2 checkpoint kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin expression levels in cancer/normal adjacent tissues were assessed. The impact of WEE1 G2 checkpoint kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin levels on triple-negative breast cancer patient survival and prognosis and the independent risk factors for death were evaluated. WEE1 G2 checkpoint kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin expression levels in triple-negative breast cancer tissues were distinctly higher than normal adjacent tissues. Significant differences in Tumor Node Metastasis staging, modified Scarff-Bloom-Richardson grading, and axillary lymph node metastasis were observed between patients with WEE1 G2 checkpoint kinase low expression and high expression/mammalian target of rapamycin low expression and high expression. Dead patients showed higher WEE1 G2 checkpoint kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin levels than alive patients during follow-up. Both WEE1 G2 checkpoint kinase high expression and mammalian target of rapamycin high expression increased mortality risk, with their simultaneous high expression causing higher mortality risks in triple-negative breast cancer patients than any of them alone. Simultaneous high expression of WEE1 G2 checkpoint kinase and mammalian target of rapamycin increased mortality risks and was an independent risk factor for death in triple-negative breast cancer patients.