Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α Expression Predicts a Poor Response to Primary Chemoendocrine Therapy and Disease-Free Survival in Primary Human Breast Cancer

Abstract

HIF-1alpha expression in patients with breast cancer is a marker of poor therapy response and outcome, especially in ER-positive patients. The combination of two hypoxia markers has greater utility than assessing just one, and patients with hypoxia markers in their tumors may be suitable for administration of drugs that reduce HIF-1alpha expression and increase oxygen delivery to the tumor bed before starting neoadjuvant therapies.