Helix pomatia and Ulex europeus lectin binding in human breast carcinoma

Formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue from 100 consecutive cases of breast carcinoma were studied for binding with Helix pomatia (HPA) and Ulex Europeus (UEA1) lectins. Serial sections were pretreated with trypsin or neuraminidase to determine the effect of these enzymes on lectin binding. The lectins were visualized by the peroxidase antiperoxidase technique and the cell staining proportion assessed in a semi-quantitative manner under the light microscope. Correlating staining with prognostic factors and patient follow-up details showed that UEA1 related to disease-free interval and survival, and HPA to lymph node stage, time to loco regional recurrence and to survival. Relationships with both lectins were abolished by pretreatment with neuraminidase. The study demonstrates that a simple assessment of lectin binding can provide prognostic information in breast cancer. This may be useful particularly when conservational surgical practice restricts the amount of nodal tissue for staging.