title: Tumor growth fraction, expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors, p53, bcl-2 and cathepsin D activity in primary ductal invasive breast carcinoma and their axillary lymph node metastases.
abstract: The aim of this paper is to determine similarities and differences between tumor cell subclones in cases of ductal invasive breast carcinoma, and which occupy primary tumor and local axillary lymph metastases. The tumor growth fraction evaluated by Ki-67 was analyzed along with the expression level of estrogen and progesterone receptors, protein p53, proto-oncogene protein bcl-2 and cathepsin D in 60 patients. Metastatic lymph node in axilla has a higher growth fraction of the tumor cells than the primary tumor (p = 0.045), as well as the higher level of bcl-2 overexpression (p = 0.014). No statistically significant difference was found in the presence of immunohistochemically identified estrogen receptors (p = 0.161) and progesterone receptors (p = 0.081) between the primary tumor and the metastatic lymph node in axilla. Likewise, no difference was found between the immunohistochemical evaluation of p53 (p = 0.356) and cathepsin D activity (p = 0.928). A higher growth fraction of the tumor cells and the higher level of bcl-2 overexpression in metastatic tumor cells indicate the more aggressive cell subclones. This study does not support the routine testing of both primary tumor and locoregional metastasis to evaluate the breast cancer hormone receptor status.
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Hospital "Osijek", Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Jozo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kristek
authors.forename: Branko
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dmitrović
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurbel
authors.forename: Kata
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakić
authors.forename: Zlatko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Krajinović
authors.forename: Valerija
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Blazicević
authors.forename: Borislav
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Has
authors.forename: Ksenija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Marjanović
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D002402:Cathepsin D / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D002402:Cathepsin D