title: Expression of the CD44 variant isoforms 6 and 4/5 in breast cancer. Correlation with established prognostic parameters.
abstract: Eighty one invasive breast cancers were analysed immunohistochemically to detect if they expressed the adhesion molecules CD44 v6 and v4/5, and the results were evaluated using the semiquantitative IR-score. The results were further divided into four groups: negative, weak positive, moderate positive and strong positive. Fifteen benign breast tumors were also analysed. Sixty eight breast cancers were CD44v6 and v4/5 positive. T3 and T4 cancers showed statistically significant higher positive CD44 rates than T1 and T2 cancers (P < 0.05). We also found a statistically significant correlation between the estrogen receptor and the CD44 status and between the CD44 status and the cathepsin-D status, whereas no correlation between CD44 and the lymph node status, the M status, the grading of the tumors, the progesterone receptor and the menopausal status could be found. Eleven benign tumors were CD44v6 and v4/5 positive. We could not establish any correlation between the expression of CD44 and the metastasizing capacity of breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Regidor
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Callies
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Regidor
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Günthert
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zöller
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Schindler
mesh_terms: D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002402:Cathepsin D / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D002402:Cathepsin D