Vimentin expression in different types of breast carcinoma immunohistochemical study

ABSTRACT

Vimentin was preferentially expressed in medullary and high grade ductal not otherwise specified [NOS] carcinomas. In the present study, 58 cases of invasive breast carcinomas were tested for vimentin on formaldehyde fixed paraffin embedded sections. Vimentin was expressed in 14/44 [32%] of infiltrating duct carcinoma NOS. It was expressed in less than 10% of tumor cells in 5/44 [11.4%] and in >/10% of tumor cells in 4/7 [57%]. However, none of the lobular carcinoma expressed vimentin. Vimentin was expressed in 9 of 18 [50%] of grade III infiltrating duct NOS carcinoma versus 5 of 21 [24%] of grade II and 0 of 5 [0%] of grade I carcinoma. It was preferentially expressed in tumor growing in broad anastomosing bands or sheets with numerous mitoses, high nuclear grade, scanty supportive stroma and extensive necrosis