Polish Journal of Pathology

Abstract

4/2012 vol. 63

Expression of ER/PR/HER2, basal markers and adhesion molecules in primary breast cancer and in lymph nodes metastases: a comparative immunohistochemical analysis

Pol J Pathol 2012; 63: 228-234
Online publish date: 2013/01/24
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Confronting perimenopausal women’s knowledge of coronary heart disease with their health behaviours. Controversial role of hormone replacement therapy in the protection of coronary heart disease
The immunophenotypic differences between primary and metastatic tumour cells could influence patient’s treatment or/and the results of selected diagnostic procedures.

That prompted us to investigate potential differences between primary tumours and corresponding synchronous lymph node metastases in the T  1/N+/M0 breast cancer patients. The investigated group consisted of 108 patients with invasive ductal breast cancer, who underwent radical surgery. The expression of ER, PR, HER2 as well as CK5/6, P-cadherin, EGFR and Ep-CAM was assessed immunohistochemically.

Our data suggest that ER, PR, HER2, EGFR and CK5/6 are expressed conservatively, with some minor changes between primary tumour and simultaneous lymph node metastases. On the contrary, Ep-CAM and P-cadherin immunoreactivity in primary and metastatic cells varied significantly. This variation might exclude Ep-CAM and P-cadherin as potential diagnostic or therapeutic targets.
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