CORRELATION OF E-CADHERIN EXPRESSION WITH DIFFERENTIATION GRADE AND HISTOLOGICAL TYPE IN BREAST-CARCINOMA

Recently, a correlation has been suggested between a loss of E-cadheri n (E-CD) and increased invasiveness of neoplastic cells. Ix this study , E-CD expression in breast cancer was investigated using an affinity- purified antibody (ECCD-2) ix an immunoenzymatic (avidin-biotin-alkali ne phosphatase) test. Intensity and extension of E-CD immunoreactivity were evaluated in 61 breast carcinomas and correlated with their hist ological type and grade, nodal involvement, and hormonal receptor stat us. Histological types were infiltrating ductal carcinoma of no specia l type (n = 54) and infiltrating lobular carcinoma (n = 7). All infilt rating ductal carcinoma of no special type except two grade 3 carcinom as showed positive immunoreactivity that was variable among different cases. Grade 1 breast carcinomas (n = 10) showed greater immunoreactiv ity than grade 2 (n = 25) and grade 3 (n = 19) carcinomas E-CD immunor eactivity correlated positively with the degree of tubular formation a nd inversely with the mitoses number. None of the infiltrating lobular carcinomas expressed E-CD in their infiltrating cells, whereas they s howed only weak immunostains in areas of atypical lobular hyperplasia and lobular carcinoma in situ These results indicate that E-CD express ion correlates with histological type and grade in breast carcinomas.