Immunohistochemical expression of T, Tn and sialyl-Tn antigens and clinical outcome in human breast carcinoma

Background The extent of expression of reactive T (Thomsen-Friedenreich), T n and sialyl-Tn antigens has been assumed to predict carcinoma aggressivene ss. We studied the expression of T, Tn and sialyl-liz antigens in a relativ ely large cohort of breast carcinoma patients with known long-term outcome to assess the clinical and biological significance of these antigens. Mater ials and Methods T, Tn and sjalyl-Tn antigens were examined in 72 consecuti ve primary breast carcinomas by immunohistochemistry using well defined mon oclonal antibodies and their semiquantitative values were correlated with e stablished clinicopathologic prognostic parameters of the disease to determ ine their relationship with long-term clinical outcome. Results: Of the 72 carcinomas, 63 (87.5%) each expressed T or Tn antigens, while 16 (22%) expr essed sialyl-Tn antigens. Most carcinomas (81%) expressed more than one of the antigens simultaneously, being the most-frequent combination T/Tn antig en expression. No significant correlation was noted between the expression of T Tn and sialyl-Tn antigens (whether individually or in combination) and the prognostic parameters including patient age, disease stage, tumor size , lymph node status, nuclear and histologic grades, histologic types, hormo ne receptor status and menopausal status. Univariate survival analyses show ed that disease stage, tumour size and lymph node metastasis were significa nt predictors of overall survival. Interestingly, a significant inverse cor relation was found between the Tn antigen expression (p = 0.04), as well as the combined T/Tn (p = 0.03), and Tn/sialyl-Tn (p = 0.02) antigen expressi ons and long-term overall survival. In a multivariate Cox proportional haza rd model, disease stage and a negative or low Tn antigen expression emerged as significant predictors of overall survival. Conclusion. Our data sugges ted that the expression of T, Tn and sialyl-liz antigens does not appear to pr edict the outcome of patients with breast carcinoma in a long-term run. Moreover, the findings signified a potential value for a negative or low T n antigen expression in prognostic stratification of breast carcinomas.