title: Expression of the E-cadherin-catenins complex in sentinel node is related to tumor morphology but not to spread to nonsentinel nodes.
abstract: The sentinel node (SN) technique has gained a key role in breast cancer surgery, allowing for an accurate staging of the axillary status with a minimally invasive resection. In this study, we explored the implication of three proteins (E-cadherin, a- and b-catenins) that form the cadherin-catenin complex, a receptorial structure strictly involved in tumoral vascular invasion and embolization in this biologic event. We studied the immunohistochemical expression of the complex in patients with metastatic SN, matching the group with involved nonsentinel lymph nodes (NSNs) with that having free axillary NSNs. The simultaneous staining of the SN metastases for the three proteins has been considered an indicator of preserved function. Our data confirmed the lack of cadherin-catenin complex in tumors with lobular morphology even in SN metastasis, but statistical evaluation could not prove a significant relation between complex integrity and NSN involvement. Moreover, considering traditional histopathologic parameters, only vascular peritumoral embolization was related to an increased risk of metastatic spread to axillary NSNs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Ospedale S. Giovanni Antica Sede, Via Cavour 31,Torino, Italy. gcanavese@molinette.piemonte.it
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Canavese
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernardi
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Candelaresi
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lovadina
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amerio
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rossetti
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rabagliati
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Berardengo
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015820:Cadherins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D051178:alpha Catenin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins; D051178:alpha Catenin; D051176:beta Catenin