IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF CYTOKERATIN NUMBER-8 AS A PROGNOSTIC FACTOR IN INVASIVE BREAST-CARCINOMA

Cytokeratin #8 (CK8) was analysed by immunohistochemistry using a mono clonal antibody in 101 operable invasive breast carcinomas (IBCs). The immunohistochemical staining pattern, and its correlations with patie nt characteristics and prognosis were studied Sixty-five (65%) out of 101 patients had CK8 positive tumors The incidence of CK8 positivity i n patients with estrogen receptor (ER) positive tumors was significant ly higher than that in patients with ER negative tumors. The same tend ency was seen between the CK8 positivity and progesterone receptor (PR ) status; however no statistical significance was found. Furthermore, the incidence of CK8 positivity in premenopausal patients was lowe, th an that in postmenopausal patients with no statistical significance. R elapse-free survival (RFS) for patients with CK8 positive tumors was s ignificantly better than that for patients with CK8 negative tumors. T he multivariate analysis of factors related to RFS showed that CK8 sta ining positivity was an independent prognostic indicator of IBCs. Thes e results suggest that CK8 expression may be one of the prognostic fac tors of IBCs.