Biologic behavior of E-cadherin in Invasive Ductal Carcinoma of the Breast / 한국유방암학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: E-cadherin is a tumor suppressor adhesion molecule that has an anti-invasive role and it is often considered as a useful marker for differentiating the lobular types from the ductal types of breast cancer. Yet the biological functions of E-cadherin in the invasive ductal types of breast cancers are unclear. METHODS: The E-cadherin expression was assessed immunohistochemically in 84 case of surgically resected invasive ductal carcinoma. Only the membranous expression of E-cadherin was considered and its expression was categorized as positive (>95% stained) or negative (<95% stained). The relationship between the E-cadherin expression and tumor size, the lymph node status, the histologic grade, the ER and PR status, The HER2/neu and p53 expressions was studied by performing prospective aspect. RESULTS: We analyzed 84 invasive ductal carcinomas for the E-cadherin expressions. Variable degrees of E-cadherin expression were noted in 79 cases and the complete absence of its expression was noted in 5 cases(5.9%) which showed all HER2/neu positive and p53 negative. Positive expression of E-cadherin was noted in 66cases(78.5%). Significant associations were found between the E-cadherin expression and the tumor size and the estrogen receptor status. The expression of E-cadherin was not found to be related to the lymph node status, histologic grade, the progesteron receptor status, the HER2/neu and p53 expressions. CONCLUSION: We confirmed that there was a strong correlation between the negative membrane expressions of E-cadherin and the T-stages and a negative estrogen receptor status. E-cadherin immunostaining appears to have a minimal prognostic value and it can be efficiently used for determining tumor progression of invasive ductal carcinomas of the breast.