E-cadherin expression in estrogen receptor-positive and negative breast carcinomas of postmenopausal women.
BACKGROUND
Preservation of E-cadherin expression is usually related to non-invasive and well differentiated breast carcinomas.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate E-cadherin immunohistochemical expression in estrogen receptor (ER) positive and negative infiltrating ductal breast carcinomas.


METHODS
Twenty-three postmenopausal patients with Stage II, operable, infiltrating ductal breast carcinomas were divided into groups A (ER+; n = 13) and B (ER-; n = 10). E-cadherin immunohistochemical expression was assessed semiquantitatively according to membrane staining intensity and classified as negative (< 10% of cells with stained membranes), positive + (10-50% of cells stained) or positive ++ (> 50% of cells stained). Fisher's exact test was used to compare the distribution of staining intensity in the two groups (p < 0.05).


RESULTS
In group A (ER+), E-cadherin staining was positive in all cases: + (n = 3; 23%) and ++ (n = 10; 77%) compared to three cases (30%) in group B (ER-), + (n = 2; 20%) and ++ (n = 1; 10%). This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.0005).


CONCLUSIONS
The present results indicate that E-cadherin expression loss is significantly associated with ER-negative tumors and therefore with a more aggressive phenotype of invasive ductal breast carcinoma.
da Silva
B B
BB
Department of Gynecology, Mastology Division, Hospital Getúlio Vargas, Federal University of Piauí, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil. beneditoborges@globo.com
dos Santos
A R
AR
Pires
C G
CG
Correa-Lima
M A
MA
Pereira-Filho
J D D
JD
dos Santos
L G
LG
Moura
C S
CS
Lopes-Costa
P V
PV
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*
D015820:Cadherins; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen