CD24 expression is a new prognostic marker in breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
CD24 is expressed in hematological malignancies as well as in a large variety of solid tumors including breast cancer. We aimed to evaluate CD24 protein expression in breast cancer and to correlate to clinicopathological data including patient survival.


METHODS
Primary breast carcinomas (201) with a mean clinical follow-up time of 53 months were immunostained using a monoclonal CD24 antibody (Ab-2, clone 24C02). The staining was evaluated as negative versus positive for statistical analysis.


RESULTS
In invasive breast carcinomas, CD24 expression was observed in 84.6% of cases. In univariate survival analyses, a significant association of CD24 expression with shortened patient overall survival (5-year survival rate 91.9% versus 83.8%; P = 0.031; log rank test) and disease-free survival (5-year progression rate 88.3% versus 57.0%; P = 0.0008) was demonstrated. In multivariate analyses CD24, tumor grading and nodal status were significant prognostic parameters for shortened disease-free survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that CD24 expression in primary breast cancer as detected by immunohistochemistry might be a new marker for a more aggressive breast cancer biology.
Institute of Pathology, Charité University Hospital, Berlin D-10117, Germany. glen.kristiansen@charite.de
Glen
G
Kristiansen
Klaus-Jürgen
KJ
Winzer
Empar
E
Mayordomo
Joachim
J
Bellach
Karsten
K
Schlüns
Carsten
C
Denkert
Edgar
E
Dahl
Christian
C
Pilarsky
Peter
P
Altevogt
Hans
H
Guski
Manfred
M
Dietel
D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000737:chemistry; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D051927:CD24 Antigen; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; D051927:CD24 Antigen; C497889:CD24 protein, human; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins