[Clinicopathological significance of aromatase expression in breast cancers].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of aromatase on breast cancer proliferation and invasive ability, so as to detect the relationship between in situ estrogen levels and molecular biological characteristics of breast cancer.


METHODS
By immunohistochemistry staining, the expression of aromatase, matrix metalloproteinases 2 (MMP2) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP 9) in the primary breast cancers were detected, the associations between aromatase and MMPs as well as clinical-pathological factors were analyzed.


RESULTS
The positive rates of aromatase were 25.0% (+) and 29.9% (++). Aromatase status was associated with MMP2, MMP9 and co-expression of MMP2 and MMP9 (P < 0.05), but not associated with tumor size, ER/PR status, menopausal status and tumor grade (P > 0.05). In the postmenopausal patients there was a relationship between aromatase and tumor size (P < 0.05), but not in the premenopausal patients (P > 0.05); there was a relationship between aromatase and co-expression of MMP2/MMP9 in the patients with ER and/or PR positive (P < 0.05), but not in the patients with ER and PR negative (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In the breast cancer in situ estrogen produced by tumor aromatase may promote the cancer cells proliferation and invasiveness and maybe through ER pathway especially in the postmenopausal patients.
Lu
Jin-song
JS
Department of Breast Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Li
He-cheng
HC
Cao
Dao-cheng
DC
Di
Gen-hong
GH
Wu
Jiong
J
Shen
Kun-wei
KW
Shen
Zhen-zou
ZZ
Shao
Zhi-min
ZM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001141:Aromatase / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism
D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D001141:Aromatase; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9