The majority of triple-negative breast cancer may correspond to basal-like carcinoma, but triple-negative breast cancer is not identical to basal-like carcinoma.
Recently, the concept of basal-like carcinoma has been proposed. However, there are only a few reports about the relationship between triple-negative cancer and basal-like carcinoma. In this article, we report the study of the expression of basal cell markers in 11 triple-negative cancers. Eight tumors (4 metaplastic carcinomas, 2 invasive ductal carcinomas, 1 invasive papillary carcinoma, and 1 medullary carcinoma) were positive for more than three markers among cytokeratins 5, 14, and 17, and p63. Three tumors (2 invasive ductal carcinomas and 1 apocrine carcinoma) were completely negative for all markers. Among 8 tumors positive for basal markers, cytokeratins 5 and 17 were expressed in all 8 tumors, cytokeratin 14 in 6 tumors, and p63 in 7 tumors. Finally, we conclude that the majority of triple-negative cancer may correspond to basal-like carcinoma, but the two entities are not identical. The use of combination immunohistochemistry including cytokeratins 5, 14, and 17 and p63 may contribute to the detection of basal-like carcinoma.
Kuroda
Naoto
N
Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Kochi Red Cross Hospital, 2-13-51 Shin-honmachi, Kochi, 780-8562, Japan. kurochankochi@yahoo.co.jp
Ohara
Masahiko
M
Inoue
Kaori
K
Mizuno
Keiko
K
Fujishima
Nokiaki
N
Hamaguchi
Nobumasa
N
Lee
Gang-Hong
GH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods; D018734:Genes, erbB-2 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D053547:Keratin-14 / Q000032:analysis; D053537:Keratin-17 / Q000032:analysis; D053555:Keratin-5 / Q000032:analysis; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis
D015415:Biomarkers; C081876:CKAP4 protein, human; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D053547:Keratin-14; D053537:Keratin-17; D053555:Keratin-5; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone