title: E-cadherin (E-cad) expression in duct carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast.
abstract: E-cadherin (E-cad) is an epithelial cell-cell adhesion molecule whose loss or reduced expression is associated with a more invasive tumour phenotype. Ninety-six cases of screen detected pure ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) were analysed immunocytochemically for expression of E-cad using the HECD-1 mouse monoclonal antibody. The in situ component in each case was classified on the basis of cytonuclear grade, extent of necrosis, Van Nuys classification and a newly devised Cardiff classification. The amount of E-cad expression was assessed semi-quantitatively using an intensity distribution method. There is significantly more expression of E-cad in well-differentiated DCIS when compared with poorly differentiated DCIS and this finding is highly significant (P < 0.001) irrespective of the classification system used. These findings suggest that progressive loss of E-cad expression may occur at an early stage of breast cancer development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Douglas-Jones
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jasani
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pignatelli
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Mansel
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins