RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CATHEPSIN-D AND OTHER PATHOLOGICAL AND BIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN 1752 PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY BREAST-CANCER

The relationship between cathepsin D and other pathological or biologi cal prognostic parameters has not yet been defined through systematic studies in breast cancer. The aim of the present investigation was to define the relationship between cathepsin D and nodal status, tumour s ize, steroid receptors and tumour grade in a wide patient series. Cyto sol cathepsin D was assayed with an immunoradiometric assay in tumour samples from 1752 patients. A statistically significant, but not biolo gically meaningful association was found between cathepsin D and both tumour size and grade. Cathepsin D was significantly higher in node-po sitive than in node-negative tumours. However, cathepsin D is not of g reat use in order to predict the risk of axillary metastases in indivi dual patients, due to overlapping of cathepsin D values between node-p ositive and node-negative cases. A significant, direct association was found between cathepsin D and both oestrogen receptor and progesteron e receptor cytosol levels. Nevertheless, preliminary data indicate tha t cathepsin D and steroid receptors provide independent prognostic inf ormation.