A loss of c-kit expression is associated with an advanced stage and poor prognosis in breast cancer.
To evaluate the c-kit expression in breast cancer, 217 invasive ductal carcinomas of the breast were immunohistochemically stained for c-kit protein. The c-kit expression was positive in 59 (27%) of 217 tumours, while the c-kit expression was negative in 158 (73%) of 217 tumours. There was a significant correlation between a negative expression of the c-kit protein and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.0001), and the incidence of a negative expression of the c-kit protein increased as the number of the metastatic lymph nodes increased (P = 0.0003). The c-kit expression did not significantly correlate with the tumour size, nuclear grade, oestrogen receptor status, MIB-1 counts and p53 protein expression. A univariate analysis indicated the patients with the negative c-kit expression to have a worse disease-free survival (DFS) than those with the positive c-kit expression (P = 0.0041), while a multivariate analysis determined lymph node metastases and the MIB-1 counts to be independently significant factors for DFS. In conclusion, a loss of the c-kit expression was found in about three-fourth of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast and was associated with lymph node metastases. The prognostic implications of the c-kit expression seem to be due to fact that a loss of the c-kit expression is associated with an advanced stage of breast cancer.
Tsutsui
S
S
Department of Breast Surgery, Matsuyama Red Cross Hospital, Japan. tsutsui@lime.ocn.ne.jp
Yasuda
K
K
Suzuki
K
K
Takeuchi
H
H
Nishizaki
T
T
Higashi
H
H
Era
S
S
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000378:metabolism*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit