Reduced PTEN expression is associated with poor outcome and angiogenesis in invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.
Loss of PTEN expression has been associated with advanced stages of tumor. Tumor angiogenesis is involved in tumor progression. In breast cancer, a high frequency of mutations of the PTEN locus has been reported. However, the prognostic importance of PTEN expression and its correlation with angiogenesis in breast cancer have not been well established. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 99 women with a primary diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma were evaluated for PTEN expression by immunohistochemical methods. The microvessel density (MVD) was also studied by immunohistochemical labeling of endothelial cells with CD34 antibody. Computerized image analysis was used to evaluate MVD. Reduced PTEN expression was seen in 27.3% of invasive ductal carcinoma. The MVD ranged from 22.0 to 197.0, with a median value of 58.5 (65.4 +/- 27.9). Reduced PTEN expression correlated with lymph node status (P < 0.01), tumor grade (P < 0.05), and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage (P < 0.05). There was a statistically significant correlation between reduced PTEN expression and increased MVD (P < 0.05). The mean MVD was higher in reduced PTEN-expressive tumors, irrespective of stage, compared with normal PTEN-expressive tumors with the same stage. On multivariate analysis, only TNM stage and reduced PTEN expression correlated with survival. Our results suggest that reduced PTEN expression may be an independent prognostic indicator in patients with invasive ductal carcinoma. PTEN loss may be associated with increased tumor angiogenesis.
Lee
Ji Shin
JS
Department of Pathology, Seonam University, College of Medicine, Namwon, Chollabuk-Do, Korea. jshinlee@hanmail.net
Kim
Hyung Seok
HS
Kim
Young Bog
YB
Lee
Min Cheol
MC
Park
Chang Soo
CS
Min
Kyung Whan
KW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; C494929:PTEN protein, human