The prognostic significance of P-cadherin in infiltrating ductal breast carcinoma.
We have immunohistochemically investigated P-cadherin (P-CD) expression in a series of 210 infiltrating ductal carcinomas (IDC) in an attempt to assess the biological and prognostic relevance of P-CD in patients harboring IDCs. Although only 74/210 (35%) of IDCs expressed P-CD in >5% of tumor cells (P-CD-positive carcinomas), categorical analyses revealed that P-CD-positive IDCs were larger (26 +/- 21 cm versus 22 +/- 11 cm, P =.0568), of higher histological grade (P =.0001), and had more lymph node metastases (P =.0327) than P-CD-negative breast carcinomas. In addition, P-CD-positive tumors were negative for estrogen (P =.0001) and progesterone receptors (P =.0001) and showed reduced E-cadherin expression (P =.0276) more frequently than P-CD-negative tumors. Univariate analysis carried out in 171 patients demonstrated that P-CD expression was also an indicator of poor prognosis (chi(2) = 8.292, P =.004), extent of lymph node metastasis (chi(2) = 20.854, P =.0000), histological grade (chi(2) = 12.908, P =.0016), and negative progesterone receptors (chi(2) = 4.116, P =.042). However, only histological grade and nodal metastases emerged as independent prognostic markers in the multivariate analysis. These results suggest that although P-CD expression may be involved in the progression of IDCs, its value as an independent prognostic factor remains to be established.
Gamallo
C
C
Servicio de Anatomía Patológica, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Programa de Patología Molecular, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain.
Moreno-Bueno
G
G
Sarrió
D
D
Calero
F
F
Hardisson
D
D
Palacios
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis
D015820:Cadherins