Cathepsin D in primary breast carcinoma: adverse prognosis is associated with expression of cathepsin D in stromal cells.
The immunohistochemical expression of the aspartyl protease enzyme cathepsin D was examined in a consecutive series of 103 primary operable breast carcinomas with the polyclonal antibody NCL-CDp. Expression of cathepsin D was identified within the epithelial and stromal components of all tumours examined. No significant associations of increased cathepsin D expression in the epithelial tumour component with conventional prognostic indices such as tumour size, grade, lymph node stage, or patient survival were identified. However, significant associations of increased stromal cathepsin D expression and high tumour grade, chi 2 = 11.40 (df = 2), p = 0.003; increased tendency to local recurrence, chi 2 = 6.87 (df = 1), p = 0.009; regional recurrence, chi 2 = 7.44 (df = 1), p = 0.006; poorer disease free survival, chi 2 = 14.9 (df = 1), p = 0.0001; and poorer overall patient survival, chi 2 = 6.90 (df = 1), p = 0.0086, were identified. Cathepsin D expression is present in all breast tumours. Stromal cathepsin D expression is a neglected immunohistochemical prognostic parameter which could explain some of the previous apparently conflicting reports concerning the effect on patient prognosis of biochemical (i.e. total) and immunohistochemical estimations of cathepsin D in breast cancers.
O'Donoghue
A E
AE
Department of Histopathology, City Hospital, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
Poller
D N
DN
Bell
J A
JA
Galea
M H
MH
Elston
C W
CW
Blamey
R W
RW
Ellis
I O
IO
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D002402:Cathepsin D / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016019:Survival Analysis
D002402:Cathepsin D