Similar to the datasets examined by Desmet et al., our Kaplan-Meier analysis using fosl1 expression alone did not have prognostic significance in the independent breast cancer dataset utilized in this study; however, a gene signature containing the molecular components of the novel signaling pathway we have delineated in the present study (plau/plaur/vtn/fosl1) was able to identify patients with breast cancer with poor overall survival, recurrence-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival. The gene discussed is FOSL1; the disease is breast cancer.