Expression of androgen receptor and prostate-specific antigen in male breast carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The androgen-regulated proteins prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostate-specific acid phosphatase (PSAP) are present in high concentrations in normal prostate and prostatic cancer and are considered to be tissue-specific to prostate. These markers are commonly used to diagnose metastatic prostate carcinoma at various sites including the male breast. However, expression of these two proteins in tumors arising in tissues regulated by androgens such as male breast carcinoma has not been thoroughly evaluated.


METHODS
In this study we analyzed the expression of PSA, PSAP and androgen receptor (AR) by immunohistochemistry in 26 cases of male breast carcinomas and correlated these with the expression of other prognostic markers.


RESULTS
AR, PSA and PSAP expression was observed in 81%, 23% and 0% of carcinomas, respectively. Combined expression of AR and PSA was observed in only four tumors.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the biological significance of PSA expression in male breast carcinomas is not clear, caution should be exercised when it is used as a diagnostic marker of metastatic prostate carcinoma.
Kidwai
Noman
N
Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL, USA.
Gong
Yun
Y
Sun
Xiaoping
X
Deshpande
Charuhas G
CG
Yeldandi
Anjana V
AV
Rao
M Sambasiva
MS
Badve
Sunil
S
D000135:Acid Phosphatase; D000368:Aged; D018567:Breast Neoplasms, Male / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / Q000032:analysis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis
D000135:Acid Phosphatase; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C428439:prostatic acid phosphatase