title: ras p21 expression in the progression of breast cancer.
abstract: The differential expression of the ras oncogene product p21 in the primary tumor, regional nodes, and distant metastatic sites in patients with disseminated breast cancer was examined to define the biologic and clinical significance of the ras oncogene in the progression of breast cancer. The avidin-biotin peroxidase complex method was used on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 16 patients with metastatic disease. The primary antibody used in this protocol was RAP-5, an anti-p21 murine monoclonal IgG2a. p21 antigen staining was similar in the primary tumor and regional nodes from the same patient (P less than 0.05), but the staining of distant metastases was more variable. Expression of ras p21 was consistently increased in invasive components of the primary tumor as compared with intraductal tumor. In addition, a high level of p21 expression was seen in tumor emboli in lymphatics and blood vessels as compared with contiguous tumor in parenchymal tissue. Although p21 staining is present in aggressive primary breast cancers and most metastatic sites, our findings indicate that markedly enhanced p21 expression is associated with the earlier stages (invasion and dissemination) of aggressive breast cancers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, State University of New York, Stony Brook.
authors.forename: F B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Fromowitz
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Viola
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oravez
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mishriki
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Finkel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grimson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lundy
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000276:immunology; D015689:Oncogene Protein p21(ras); D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D015689:Oncogene Protein p21(ras)