Immunohistochemical analysis of prostate-specific antigen does not correlate to other prognostic factors in breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is found in 30-40% of female breast tumors, as recently described. Diamandis and co-workers could demonstrate that PSA correlate significantly to a relapse-free survival and lower tumor stages in patients with breast cancer using a time-resolved immunofluorometric analysis. The presence of PSA in these tumors seems to reflect a favourable prognostic marker for that disease. The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of PSA as a prognostic factor in breast cancer using an immunohistochemical technique.


METHODS
The PSA immunoreactivity of tissues from one-hundred women with malignant breast tumors was correlated to tumor staging, histomorphological tumor type, and biochemical estrogen and progesterone receptor content. Additionally, survival analysis was performed according to Kaplan and Meier.


RESULTS
49% of the tumors revealed positive staining for PSA. No significant correlation between PSA and the other parameters, or the mean survival time (PSA pos.: 5.3 years, PSA neg.: 5.4 years) could be demonstrated.


CONCLUSIONS
As there were no significant correlations between PSA and other prognostic markers, PSA detected by immunohistochemistry seems not to be helpful in prognostic evaluation of breast cancer.
Heyl
W
W
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Technology, Aachen, Germany.
Wolff
J M
JM
Biesterfeld
S
S
Schröder
W
W
Zitzelsberger
D
D
Jakse
G
G
Rath
W
W
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen