LACK OF ASSOCIATION BETWEEN TUMOR NECROSIS AND HSP-27 EXPRESSION IN PRIMARY BREAST-CANCER

Overexpression of heat shock protein 27 (hsp-27) is associated with re duced disease-free survival in early stage breast cancer. Histopatholo gic evidence of confluent necrosis within primary infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) is similarly an indication of poor prognosis. We postu lated that IDC evidencing confluent tumor necrosis (TN) might overexpr ess this protein, which would help explain why hsp-27 is associated wi th higher-risk cancers. To test this hypothesis, presence of TN (as op posed to individual cell apoptosis) and of hsp-27 expression by immuno histochemistry were evaluated independently in 48 specimens of IDC. Ni neteen (40%) overexpressed hsp-27 and 10 (21%) displayed necrosis. IDC s with areas of TN are less likely to overexpress hsp-27, suggesting a lack of association between these histoprogonostic variables. This ne gative correlation, however, supports hsp-27 as an independent predict or of high-risk disease. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.