title: E-cadherin status in breast cancer correlates with histologic type but does not correlate with established prognostic parameters.
abstract: Our objective was to assess the loss of E-cadherin (EC) as a diagnostic marker or a predictor of prognosis. We stained 276 breast carcinomas with monoclonal antibodies to EC (invasive lobular carcinomas [ILC] and variants, 59; invasive ductal carcinoma and ductal special types [IDC], 204; tubulolobular carcinoma [TLC], 4; and invasive carcinoma [IC], uncertain whether lobular or ductal type, 9). The results were as follows: EC+IDCs, 99.5%; EC-ILCs, 90%; EC+ILCs, 10%; EC+pleomorphic ILCs, 20%; EC-ICs, 44%. All 4 TLCs showed positive tubules while cords were negative. Statistically a correlation of EC loss with a positive diagnosis of ILC was found but there was no correlation with any prognostic tumor variables. A negative EC stain confirms the diagnosis of ILC (specificity, 97.7%; negative predictive value, 96.8%; sensitivity, 88.1%; positive predictive value, 91.2%). EC is helpful in classifying cases with indeterminate histologic features. EC loss is uncommon in nonlobular carcinomas with no correlation to currently established prognostic variables.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathologys, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Hina S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Qureshi
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Linden
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Divine
authors.forename: Usha B
authors.initials: UB
authors.lastname: Raju
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins