title: Expression of cathepsin-D in primary breast cancer and corresponding local recurrence or metastasis: an immunohistochemical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The role of cathepsin-D is well established in breast cancer progression, being correlated with worse clinical outcomes. However, to our knowledge, no study has been performed investigating its expression in primary breast cancer tumors and their corresponding recurrences or metastasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue sections from ten breast cancer cases and their corresponding local recurrences and six breast cancer cases and their corresponding metastases were immunohistochemically assessed for cathepsin-D reactivity. Cases diagnosed as either ductal carcinoma in situ (n=7), or breast carcinoma with no evidence of local recurrence or metastasis during follow-up (n=8) served as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cathepsin-D was significantly up-regulated in all the study groups compared to controls. No difference was found between primary tumors and their corresponding recurrences or metastases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cathepsin-D-expressing breast cancer cells seem to be involved in local recurrence or metastasis formation. Large series are needed to further verify this result with the aim of possible future molecular intervention.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dian
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vrekoussis
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shabani
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mylonas
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schindlbeck
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Navrozoglou
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Friese
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Makrigiannakis
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Jeschke
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D002402:Cathepsin D / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
chemical_list: D002402:Cathepsin D