Apoptosis in ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast.
Programmed cell death (apoptosis) may play a role in tumor development and progression. The importance of apoptosis dysregulations in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and its relationships with p53 mutations and expression of bcl-2 has received little attention in the literature. In a series of 58 DCIS patients, we evaluated the number of apoptotic cells by the TUNEL technique in subgroups of DCIS and correlated it with immunohistochemical expression of hormone receptors, c-erbB-2, p53, bcl-2, and Ki-67 (MIB-1) and DNA content measured by image cytometry. High apoptotic index (greater than 3%) was related to high tumor grade, negative hormone receptors, c-erbB-2 overexpression, aneuploidy and lack of bcl-2 immunohistochemical stain. Apoptosis was not related to p53 or proliferative index. The findings are similar to those found in infiltrating breast cancer.
Moreno
A
A
Department of Pathology, Ciutat Sanitaria de Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain.
Figueras
A
A
Lloveras
B
B
Escobedo
A
A
Griera
E
E
Sierra
A
A
Fabra
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53