TGF-BETA-1 OVEREXPRESSION IN BREAST-CANCER - CORRELATION WITH CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL DATA

TGF-beta 1 belongs to a family of pluripotent growth factors (TGF beta s) and has been implicated in the development and progression of huma n breast cancer. There are conflicting data though, suggesting that TG F-beta has the pontency both to promote and inhibit the progression of mammary neoplasia. We examined the expression of TGF-beta 1 mRNA in 2 4 breast carcinomas using the technique of the reverse transcription p olymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to obtain quantitative results. Over expression of TGF-beta 1 gene was found in 75% of the cases. We also c orrelated the overexpression of the TGF-beta 1 gene with clinicopathol ogical parameters including histological grade, tumour cellularity, oe strogen receptor status (ER), progesterone receptor status (PR) and ly mph node involvement. The results led us to the conclusion that the in creasing ratio of overexpression related to the stage of cancer in an analogous way (P similar to 1). No significant association was identif ied between the ratio of overexpression and the grade, ER, PR, or lymp h node involvement (r(s) = 0.5, 0.2, 0.1, 0.1 respectively; P < 0.0001 ) in all categories.