Histological and biological characteristics of microinvasion in mammary carcinomas < or = 2 cm in diameter.
Fifty-two mammary carcinomas, 2 cm or less in diameter, were examined in order to clarify the morphology and biology of microinvasion. The morphological characteristics of microinvasion of carcinomas include: (i) a loss of myoepithelial cells and a rupture with concomitant loss of collagen IV and laminin in the basement membrane of involved mammary glands; and (ii) budding of carcinomas from the rupture into the stroma. When microinvasion was defined as a rupture of < 200 microm in the basement membrane with invasion, the number of microinvasions per 1 mm of basement membrane was larger in the tumors in which the area of invasion was larger. The prevalence of microinvasion showed a significant correlation with lymph node metastasis and the rate of histological deviation, while no correlation of expression of either estrogen receptors or progesterone receptors and c-erbB-2 protein was found. The study clarified that the early invasion of mammary carcinomas could be detected by the immunohistochemical method using anti-smooth muscle actin, laminin and collagen IV antibodies. The study also suggested that microinvasion might be an indicator of lymph node metastasis in mammary carcinomas < or = 2 cm diameter.
Takasaki
T
T
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Kogoshima University, Japan.
Akiba
S
S
Sagara
Y
Y
Yoshida
H
H
D000231:Adenocarcinoma, Papillary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002293:Adenocarcinoma, Scirrhous / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007797:Laminin / Q000378:metabolism; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism
D003094:Collagen; D007797:Laminin; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone