title: E-cadherin as a prognostic indicator in primary breast cancer.
abstract: Epithelial cadherin (E-CD) is a member of the cadherin family of cell adhesion molecules and has been implicated as an invasion suppressor molecule in vitro and in vivo. We analysed 174 breast tumours from the Nottingham/Tenovus Breast Cancer Series immunohistochemically for E-CD expression using the mouse monoclonal antibody HECD-1 (Zymed Laboratories Inc.). In normal epithelial cells E-CD was strongly expressed at cell-cell boundaries. 66% of the breast cancers examined had reduced intensity of E-CD expression with 74% having significant reductions in the proportion of E-CD-positive tumour cells. Using a combined intensity/proportion score, significant associations were found between E-CD expression and tumour type (P </= 0.001). ER status (P = 0.026) and histological grade (P = 0.031). Expression of E-CD was not found to be related to recurrence, distant metastases, lymph node stage, vascular invasion, primary tumour size, prognostic group or survival. Thus E-CD expression in human breast cancer appears to have minimal prognostic value, but may have a role as a phenotypic marker.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, University Of Nottingham, City Hospital, Hucknall Road, Nottingham NHS Trust.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Rampaul
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Pinder
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Wencyk
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Blamey
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Robertson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D015993:Life Tables; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins