INTEGRIN EXPRESSION IN BREAST-CANCER CYTOLOGY - A NOVEL PREDICTOR OF AXILLARY METASTASIS

The integrins are heterodimeric transmembrane receptors of varying alp ha and beta subunits that modulate cell adhesion to each other and to the extracellular matrix, Loss of integrin expression on primary breas t cancer frozen sections measured by immunohistochemistry may be relat ed to the presence of axillary metastasis. The clinical application of this finding mould be increased if integrin expression could also be shown to be reliably measured on breast canter cells obtained by fine needle aspiration cytology. Axillary operations may be planned as a si ngle stage procedure from outpatients, and neoadjuvant therapy protoco ls may be developed without surgery to the axilla. Expression of the a lpha 1, alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha 6, alpha v, beta 1, beta 3 and beta 5 integrin subunits mere measured by immunohistochemistry and immunocyto chemistry in 58 patients. Integrin measurement by both these methods w ere found to be closely associated using the kappa-test, Loss of expre ssion of the alpha 1, alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha 6, alpha v, beta 1 and b eta 5 integrin subunits measured by cytology and histology were each r elated to positive nodal status (chi(2) test). Measuring integrin expr ession an cytology is of clinical value and may prove to have prognost ic significance.