S. Aziz et al., Immunohistochemical cathepsin-D expression in breast cancer: Correlation with established pathological parameters and survival, PATH RES PR, 197(8), 2001, pp. 551-557
Breast cancer is an increasingly important cause of illness and death among
women. In recent years, several novel prognostic determinants of breast ca
ncer have been identified, including Cathepsin-D (CD) protein. CD protein e
xpression was analyzed immunohistochemically (IHC) in tumor specimens (315
patients) of infiltrating ductal breast carcinoma. These patients also had
axillary lymph node sampling. Overexpression of CD was observed in 39% of t
he tumors. IHC results were compared with the histological grade. Seventy n
ine percent (n = 95; 79%) tumor positivity was seen in grade II tumors, fol
lowed by grade I (n = 13; 11%) and grade III tumors (n = 12; 10%). Axillary
lymph node metastasis had no significant correlation with CD positivity (p
< 0.05). Bone metastases were significantly correlated with CD positivity
(p < 0.05). CD positivity showed no significant correlation with disease-fr
ee and overall survival (p > 0.05). At a median follow-up of 48 (4 years) m
onths in CD-positive patients, overall survival was 3.17 years, and disease
-free survival 2.67 years. The overall survival of CD-negative tumor patien
ts was 3.50 years, and disease-free survival was 2.93 years. We conclude th
at in comparison with cytosol-based quantitative studies, CD expression is
not a good prognostic marker when, as in all ICH studies, only the expressi
on in the tumor is considered.