Prognostic and predictive factors of invasive ductal breast carcinomas.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the significance of certain immunohistochemical markers, namely estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PgR), c-erbB-2 oncogene, p53 tumor suppressor gene and E-cadherin adhesion molecule, in invasive ductal breast carcinomas.


METHODS
A series of 102 primary breast carcinomas of the ductal type and a standard immunohistochemical technique was used to detect the aforementioned biological markers. The findings were related to various clinical and pathological tumor characteristics, including lymph node metastases.


RESULTS
ER and E-cadherin were expressed more commonly in tumors of low histological grade and small number (< or =3) of metastatic lymph nodes, whereas c-erbB-2 and the p53 gene were usually expressed in breast tumors of high histological grade and increased number (>3) of metastatic lymph nodes. PgR, on the other hand, was detected frequently in patients with early menarche and metastases in <3 lymph nodes, but this tendency was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of these biomarkers, preferably in combination, may provide additional prognostic and therapeutic information which may be proved useful in planning breast cancer treatment.
Lialiaris
T S
TS
Laboratory of Genetics, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece. lialiari@med.duth.gr
Georgiou
G
G
Sivridis
E
E
Kareli
D
D
Tripsiannis
G
G
Papageorgiou
A
A
Chrisafi
S
S
Kritsi
Z
Z
Giatromanolaki
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001835:Body Weight; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis
D015703:Antigens, CD; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C513384:CDH1 protein, human; C495901:TP53 protein, human; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human