PROGNOSTIC-SIGNIFICANCE OF TGF-ALPHA EXPRESSION IN BREAST-CANCER

A series of breast cancer biopsies from 204 women were analysed immuno histochemically for the expression of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha). Expression of TGF-alpha was intense in 119 cases (58%), weak in 63 (31%), and totally absent in 22 (11%) of the cases. No corr elation was observed between the expression of TGF-alpha and tumour si ze, metastasis at diagnosis, histological type and grade, ER and PR st atus, DNA index, S-phase fraction or the expression of TGF-beta 1 or b eta 2, However, the expression of TGF-alpha was significantly related to axillary lymph node metastasis and to low survival probability duri ng the follow-up, These data support the earlier observations on the i n vitro studies, suggesting that TGF-alpha most probably exerts an in vivo growth stimulation of female breast cancer cells.