E-cadherin expression in pleomorphic lobular carcinoma: an aid to differentiation from ductal carcinoma.
Pleomorphic lobular carcinoma is a recently described entity separated from classical lobular carcinoma by cytologic pleomorphism. It can have an aggressive clinical course with a higher frequency of recurrence. Histologic differentiation with ductal carcinoma may be difficult, but it is important for this differentiation to be made. E-cadherin is a transmembrane glycoprotein, and complete loss of E-cadherin expression has been observed in invasive lobular carcinoma and lobular carcinoma in situ. Ductal carcinoma retains at least some expression of E-cadherin. We examined the pattern of E-cadherin expression in a series of 14 cases of pleomorphic lobular carcinoma by immunohistochemistry. Twelve of the 14 cases showed no staining (86%); the remaining two cases exhibited 10% to 25% positive cells. In cases with histologic equivocal features, immunohistochemical detection of E-cadherin expression can be a useful diagnostic aid for the differentiation of pleomorphic lobular and ductal carcinoma.
Wahed
Amer
A
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas-Houston Medical School, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Connelly
John
J
Reese
Tommy
T
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015820:Cadherins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D015820:Cadherins