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The intermediate filaments and prognostically oriented morphological classification in ductal breast carcinoma
1Department of Histopathology, Faculty Hospital Bohunice, Brno, Czech Republic.
Neoplasma
|January 1, 1997
Summary
This study examined cytokeratins and vimentin in breast cancer. Findings suggest these markers can classify ductal invasive breast carcinomas into prognostically distinct subgroups.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pathology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Cytokeratins and vimentin are intermediate filament proteins expressed in epithelial and mesenchymal cells, respectively.
- Their differential expression is crucial for classifying tumors, particularly breast carcinomas.
- Understanding these markers aids in refining diagnostic and prognostic categories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression patterns of cytokeratins (7, 8, 14, 18, 19) and vimentin in ductal invasive breast carcinomas.
- To establish a classification system for ductal breast carcinomas based on cytokeratin 14 and vimentin immunoreactivity.
- To correlate this classification with tumor grade and prognostic outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemical analysis of cytokeratins 7, 8, 14, 18, 19, and vimentin in 100 ductal invasive breast carcinoma cases.
- Categorization of tumors based on the presence, pattern (diffuse vs. focal), and combination of cytokeratin 14 and vimentin expression.
- Correlation of the proposed classification with established tumor grading (low, intermediate, high) and histological subtypes.
Main Results:
- Simple epithelial cytokeratins (7, 8, 18, 19) showed predominantly diffuse positivity, indicating a consistent feature of these tumors.
- Cytokeratin 14 was focally expressed in 36 cases, primarily in low-grade tumors.
- Vimentin was detected in 53 intermediate and high-grade tumors, often with a focal pattern.
- A four-class grouping based on cytokeratin 14 and vimentin immunoreactivity correlated well with tumor grade.
Conclusions:
- The expression patterns of cytokeratin 14 and vimentin provide a basis for classifying ductal invasive breast carcinomas.
- This classification system aligns with tumor grade and histological subtypes, offering potential prognostic stratification.
- The findings support the use of these markers for refining the understanding and management of ductal breast carcinomas.