Shear wave elastography can evaluate tissue stiffness. Previous studies showed that the elasticity characteristics of breast lesions were related to the components of extracellular matrix which was regulated by transforming growth factor beta 1(TGF-β1) directly or indirectly. | Zhang et al. BMC Cancer 2021 21 1336 https s12885-021-09036-4 RESEARCH Open Access TGF-β1 and its signal molecules are they correlated with the elasticity characteristics of breast lesions Meng Ke Zhang1 Bo Wang1 Shi Yu Li1 Gang Liu2 and Zhi Li Wang1 Abstract Background Shear wave elastography can evaluate tissue stiffness. Previous studies showed that the elasticity char- acteristics of breast lesions were related to the components of extracellular matrix which was regulated by transform- ing growth factor beta 1 TGF-β1 directly or indirectly. However the correlation of the expression level of TGF-β1 its signal molecules and elasticity characteristics of breast lesions have rarely been reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between the expression level of TGF-β1 its signal molecules and the elasticity characteristics of breast lesions. Methods 135 breast lesions in 130 patients were included. Elasticity parameters including elasticity modulus the elasticity ratio the stiff rim sign were recorded before biopsy and surgical excision. The expression levels of TGF-β1 and its signal molecules including Smad2 3 Erk1 2 p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase MAPK c-Jun N-terminal kinase 2 JNK2 phosphoinositide 3-kinase PI3K and protein kinase B PKB AKT were detected by immunohis- tochemistry. The diagnostic performance of the expression level of those molecules and their correlation with the elasticity characteristics were analyzed. Results Elasticity parameters and the expression levels of TGF- β1 and its signal molecules of benign lesions were lower than those of malignant lesions PZhang et al. BMC Cancer 2021 21 1336 Page 2 of 13 cancer survivors 3 4 . At present mammography is standard . Then the axillary lymph node metastasis of widely used as the main tool for breast screening. How- patients with malignant breast lesions was followed up. ever the sensitivity of mammography is relatively low in The patients were included
