Differential expression of e-cadherin in lobular and ductal carcinoma of breast in an Iranian Cancer Care Hospital

To determine the role of E-cadherin in differentiating Breast lobular carcinoma from Breast ductal carcinoma in Iranian patients. A total of 80 malignant breast samples were reviewed by two pathologists before undergoing E-cad immunohistochemistry [IHC] staining. The results from IHC were compared with the results from the morphological study of the samples and they were then analyzed statistically. The normal ductal cells had strong complete homogenous membrane E-cadherin reactivity in all cases. The complete absence of E-cadherin membrane staining occurred in 14 out of 16 cases of Lobular breast carcinoma. The mean score of E-cadherin expression in ductal carcinoma was 191.35 with a CVof 104.39. In lobular carcinoma, the mean score of E-cadherin was 9.36 with a CV of 25.68. Using the Mann-Whiteny test, the difference between E-cadherin expression score in ductal and lobular carcinoma was statistically significant [P=0.0009]. E-cadherin expression is a useful diagnostic tool in distinguishing ductal from lobular carcinoma of breast

Evaluation of the effects of biological prognostic and predictive factors on survival of breast cancer patients

The molecular basis of metastatic potential of human breast carcinoma cells can be useful information to determine the practical implications in the diagnosis, determining prognosis and treatment of breast cancer. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of aggressive biological behavior and metastatic potential in breast carcinoma among a number of intrinsic biomarkers of tumor cells. We used routine formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tumor samples; sections were stained immunohistochemically to determine the expression of estrogen receptor [ER], progesterone receptor [PR], HER2/neu, Ki67, p53 and cathepsin D in 66 breast carcinoma patients. The result of the quantitative immunohistochemical assays were correlated with clinical and histological data such as patient age, tumor size, axillary lymph node status, tumor grade, the therapeutic regimens and survival rates. Univariate analysis revealed a statistically significant relation between tumor size and overexpression of p53, and between tumor grade and PR status, p53 status and Ki67. In multivariate analysis the independent factors predicting for tumor grade were Ki67 and PR status. Among patients with ER expression, negative p53 or Ki67 status, tumors with lower grades and negative axillary lymph nodes [or < 4 involved lymph nodes], there was a higher survival rate [either disease free or overall]; however, relationship was not statistically significant, most probably due to the low number of studied patients. In conclusion, Ki67 was an independent factor to predict tumor grade in our study; the use of this proliferation activity marker in routine approach to patients with breast cancer is recommended, at least to evaluate the accuracy of tumor grading by mitotic count

Comparative study of touch cytology and brush cytology with gastic biopsy and urease test for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori

Detection of H. pylori, the widely distributed etiologic agent of gastro-duodenal inflammation, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer, is easy and available. In this study, 100 patients who visited endoscopy section of Imam Khomeini Hospital or private clinic in 2001 were studied for gastric cytology [brushing and touch preparation] and biopsy. Of 100 studied patients, 31 patients [31%] had abnormal endoscopy, including gastritis in 78%. Brushing was positive in 43 [43%] patients, touch preparation in 52 [52%], rapid urease test [RUT] in 53% and biopsy in 54[54%] of patients. Sensitivity of brush and touch cytology were 79.6% and96.3%, respectively. Agreement between brush and touch cytology was 78.1%. According to of Mc-Nemar test they had no concordance. Sensitivity of RUT was 98.1%. Agreement between touch cytology and biopsy was 96% and according to Mc-Nemar test they showed concordance