Significance of E-cadherin expression in triple-negative breast cancer.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a subtype of breast cancer that is oestrogen receptor (ER) negative, progesterone receptor (PR) negative, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negative, has a poor prognosis. Although a correlation between E-cadherin expression level and outcome has been demonstrated among all types of breast cancer, little is known about the significance of E-cadherin expression levels in TNBC.

METHODS:

A total of 574 patients who had undergone a resection of a primary breast cancer except for invasive lobular carcinomas were enrolled in this study. Expressions of ER, PR, HER2, and E-cadherin were assessed by immunohistochemistry. We examined the association between TNBC and other clinicopathological variables and evaluated the significance of the E-cadherin expression.

RESULTS:

Among the 574 breast cancer cases, 123 (21.4%) revealed a triple-negative phenotype. Patients with TNBC experienced more frequent lymph node metastasis (P=0.024) and a poorer prognosis (P<0.001) in comparison with non-TNBC patients. Triple-negative breast cancer was an independent prognostic factor. Reduced levels of E-cadherin were observed in 238 (41.5%) of the 574 breast cancer cases. E-cadherin reduction was significantly frequent in cases of TNBC (P<0.001) and lymph node metastasis (P=0.032). Furthermore, in the 123 TNBC cases, the prognosis of patients with an E-cadherin-negative expression was significantly worse than that of E-cadherin-positive patients (P=0.0265), especially for those in clinical stage II (P=0.002). A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a reduction of the E-cadherin expression to be an independent prognostic factor (P=0.046).

CONCLUSION:

E-cadherin expression may be a useful prognostic marker for classifying subgroups of TNBC.

• Authors: S Kashiwagi, M Yashiro, T Takashima, S Nomura, S Noda, H Kawajiri, T Ishikawa, K Wakasa, K Hirakawa
• Journal: British journal of cancer (Br J Cancer) Vol. 103 Issue 2 Pg. 249-55 (Jul 13 2010) ISSN: 1532-1827 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 20551954 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Cadherins
• Receptors, Estrogen
• Receptors, Progesterone
• ErbB Receptors

Topics

• Breast Neoplasms (metabolism, mortality, pathology)
• Cadherins (metabolism)
• ErbB Receptors (analysis)
• Humans
• Middle Aged
• Prognosis
• Receptors, Estrogen (analysis)
• Receptors, Progesterone (analysis)