REDUCED E-CADHERIN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL EXPRESSION IN NODE-NEGATIVE BREAST CARCINOMAS CORRELATES WITH 10-YEAR SURVIVAL

E-cadherin immunodetection was performed on frozen sections, using an immunoperoxidase procedure and with computer-assisted analysis of digi tized colored microscopic images in a series of 179 breast carcinomas. Quantitative immunocytochemical assays were correlated with follow-up (129 months). The results showed that reduced E-cadherin immunocytoch emical expression in tumors (cut point, 4%) significantly correlated w ith shorter overall survival in node-negative patients (Kaplan Meier l og rank test). But E-cadherin immunostained expression (cut point, 4%) did not correlate with metastasis-free or recurrence-free survival. I n multivariate analysis (Cox proportional hazards regression model), E -cadherin prognostic significance for overall survival in node-negativ e patients was independent of the tumor size, grade, and histologic ty pe. The results suggest that reduced E-cadherin expression detected in optimum technical conditions (frozen samples and quantitative immunoh istochemistry) is an independent indicator of poor survival in node-ne gative patients and may be clinically relevant for the treatment of pa tients with breast carcinomas.