EXPRESSION OF PEPSINOGEN-C IN HUMAN BREAST-TUMORS AND CORRELATION WITH CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL PARAMETERS

We have examined by immunohistochemistry the ability of breast carcino mas to produce pepsinogen C, an aspartyl proteinase usually involved i n the digestion of proteins in the stomach. A total of 113 out of 245 breast tumours (46%) were positive for pepsinogen C immunostaining. Th ere was a significant association between pepsinogen C and oestrogen r eceptors with proteinase levels higher (HSCORE) in oestrogen receptor positive tumours than in oestrogen receptor negative. There was also a significant association between pepsinogen C and histological grade, pepsinogen C levels being higher in well and moderately differentiated breast carcinomas than in poorly differentiated tumours. On the basis of these results, we suggest that pepsinogen C may be useful as a mar ker of good prognosis in breast cancer.