Comparison of the Expression of Variants of CD44 between Node-positive and Node-negative Breast Carcinomas

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to determine the value of CD44 and its splice variants as markers for the metastatic potential of infiltrating ductal carcinomas of the breast. METHODS: Tissue samples of infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast were examined for the expression of standard CD44 (CD44H) and s CD44 isoforms, v3, v4-5 and v6 in 41 node-positive and 31 node-negative cases. The immunohistochemistry results were correlated with other clinicopathologic parameters, and these results were correlated with accompanying high grade and non-high grade DCIS areas of the tumors in both node-positive and node-negative cases. RESULTS: The expression of CD44 in the invasive tumor areas and in the metastatic foci of the lymph nodes showed a statistically significant correlation. The expression of CD44H in the invasive tumor areas and the DCIS area showed a statistically significant correlation in the lymph node (-) group. There was statistical significance between the CD44 H and CD44v3 expressions and the histologic grade of the invasive tumor in the cases with positive lymph nodes. There was no statistical significance between CD44 expression and lymph node metastasis, tumor size and type of tumor margin. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that changes in the CD44 expression in breast cancer occur early in breast carcinogenesis, and this is involved in tumor differentiation, but we could not establish any correlation between the expression of the CD44 variant isoforms and the metastasis of breast cancer.