title: Molecular phenotypes of unifocal, multifocal, and diffuse invasive breast carcinomas.
abstract: We analyzed the subgross distribution of the invasive component in 875 consecutive cases of breast carcinomas using large-format histology sections and compared the immunophenotype (estrogen and progesterone receptor expression, HER2 overexpression and expression of basal-like markers, CK5/6, CK14, and epidermal growth factor receptor) in unifocal, multifocal, and diffuse tumors. Histology grade and lymph node status were also analyzed. Unifocal invasive carcinomas comprised 58.6% (513/875), multifocal invasive carcinomas 36.5% (319/875), and diffuse invasive carcinomas 4.9% (43/875) of the cases. The proportion of lymph node-positive cases was significantly higher in multifocal and diffuse carcinomas compared to unifocal cancers, but no other statistically significant differences could be verified between these tumor categories. Histological multifocality and diffuse distribution of the invasive tumor component seem to be negative morphologic prognostic parameters in breast carcinomas, independent of the molecular phenotype.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Clinical Cytology, Central Hospital Falun, S-791 82 Falun, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tibor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tot
authors.forename: Gyula
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pekár
authors.forename: Syster
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hofmeyer
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gere
authors.forename: Miklós
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tarján
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hellberg
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lindquist