CYCLIN D1 EXPRESSION IN INVASIVE BREAST-CANCER - CORRELATIONS AND PROGNOSTIC VALUE

Cyclin D1 overexpression, detected by standard immunohistochemistry, w as correlated with other prognostic variables and ifs prognostic value teas evaluated in a group of 148 invasive breast cancers with long-te rm follow-up. Overexpression of cyclin D1 (53% of cases) was negativel y correlated (chi(2) test) with histological grade (P = 0.0001), mean nuclear area (P = 0.004), mean nuclear volume (P = 0.02), and mitotic activity (P = 0.03) and positively correlated with estrogen receptor ( P = 0.0001), There was a strong correlation between cyclin DI overexpr ession and histological type (P = 0.0001), Positive cyclin D1 staining was seen in 11 of 13 tubular carcinomas, 3 of 3 mucinous carcinomas, 4 of 4 invasive cribriform carcinomas, and 17 of 20 lobular carcinomas , Of 102 ductal cancers, 52 were positive, and all 6 medullary carcino mas were negative. There were no significant correlations with lymph n one status, tumor size, or DNA ploidy, In survival analysis, cyclin D1 overexpression did not provide significant univariate or multivaraiat e prognostic value In conclusion, cyclin D1 is mainly overexpressed in the well differentiated and lobular types of invasive breast cancer a nd is strongly associated with estrogen receptor positivity. If is neg atively correlated with the proliferation marker mitoses count and wit h the differentiation marker nuclear area and nuclear volume. However, cyclin D1 overexpression does not seem to have prognostic value in in vasive breast cancer when no adjuvant treatment is given.