[Expression of nm23 in breast cancer: correlation with distant metastasis and prognosis].

To investigate the relationship between expression of nm23 gene and distant metastasis and prognosis in breast cancer. To detect nm23 protein expression in 101 patients with breast cancer by means of immunohistochemistry and nm23 mRNA expression in 68 patients with breast cancer by RT-PCR. Expression of nm23 gene was inversely correlated with distant metastasis and lymph node metastasis. Among 9 patients with negative node but with distant metastasis, 7 had low expression of nm23. In 29 patients with positive nodes but without distant metastasis, 24 had high expression of nm23, while 6 of 6 patients with positive nodes and distant metastasis expressed high levels of nm23 mRNA. Expression of nm23 gene, tumor size and status of axillary lymph node are independent prognostic indicators to breast cancer prognosis.