Aberrant keratin 7 and 20 expression in triple-negative carcinoma of the breast.

Early studies characterizing the keratin (K) profile of various epithelial tissues indicated that breast carcinoma is K7 positive and K20 negative, but not all breast carcinomas show this profile. Triple-negative carcinoma (TNC) has been characterized by negativity for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR), and Her2/neu protein. TNC is more likely to metastasize to the viscera and present as a metastatic poorly different carcinoma. In our study, on the basis of immunohistochemical staining of ER, PgR, and Her2/neu, 75 of the 290 patients with invasive breast carcinoma were judged to have TNC. K20 expression was detected in 6 of 75 patients with TNC, and non-TNC was negative in all 215 cases (P = .0003). K7 expression was also detected in 72 of 75 TNC cases. However, non-TNC was negative in 26 of 215 cases, which was significant (P = .0457). An aberrant profile of K was observed in the TNC group, indicating that caution is needed in determining the site of primary tumors using immunohistochemical algorithms. It should be kept in mind that patients with TNC show highly variable K profiles in practical diagnosis.

Immunohistochemical detection of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 in human breast cancer: correlation with clinicopathological/molecular parameters and prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: Reportedly, fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) that regulates embryonic growth and development may function as an oncoprotein in certain malignancies. We aimed to investigate the biological significance of FGFR3 expression in invasive breast cancer. METHODS: FGFR3 expression was investigated in 50 invasive breast cancer specimens by immunohistochemistry. The association between FGFR3 expression and clinicopathological/molecular parameters or prognosis was evaluated. RESULTS: Weak FGFR3 expression was observed in myoepithelial cells, but not in duct epithelial cells, of the normal mammary ducts and lobules. FGFR3 expression in breast cancer cells was observed in 19 of 50 (38.0%) cases (9 weak positive and 10 strong positive). Besides the cytoplasm and cell membrane, nuclear staining was observed in 3 of 10 strong-positive cases. FGFR3 was further detected in non-neoplastic duct epithelial cells or duct papillomatosis in 5 strong-positive cases. No significant correlation was observed between FGFR3 expression and specific clinicopathological/molecular parameters. In contrast, FGFR3 expression was found to be significantly associated with overall survival in our cohort. CONCLUSIONS: FGFR3 expression in invasive breast cancer was not found to be significantly associated with specific clinicopathological/molecular parameters, but might be used as a candidate marker for a poor prognosis.

[Examination of the increased speed of detection of HER-2/neu gene amplification in breast cancer by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using image analysis software].

The time required to count signals in the detection of HER-2/neu gene amplification in breast cancer by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) has been a problem. To assess whether the amount of time necessary for counting could be reduced, image analysis using computer software (Win ROOF) was tested. Five photographs from each FISH sample were arranged into ten composite photographs. All ten composite photographs were necessary when using the conventional method of manual counting. However, using only four of the composite photographs and the image analysis method, the 60 necessary nucleus numbers could be measured, and a constant ratio of HER-2/neu / CEP 17 was obtained. In all 58 samples used, in the presence or absence of HER-2/neu gene amplification, there was agreement in counts between the conventional and image analysis methods, and a good correlation of r=0.961 (p<0.001) was obtained. Using the image analysis method, the necessary scoring time was reduced, particularly when the HER-2/neu gene had been amplified, where it was completed in about 1/4 of the time normally required. These results indicate that this image analysis method can be applied when using FISH in other areas of research, and may increase the speed of examination.

[Relationship between aneuploidy of chromosome 17 and amplification of HER-2/neu gene in the different histological type of breast cancer].

We examined the relationship between the aneuploidy of chromosome 17 and the amplification of HER-2/neu gene by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in the different histological type of breast cancer (n = 55). 51 patients recognized the aneuploidy that consisted of 37 patients of monosomy and 14 patients of polysomy. In the scirrhous carcinoma, HER-2/neu gene was amplified in 15% of monosomy cases, but it was not amplified in all polysomy cases. In the papillotubular carcinoma, HER-2/neu gene was contrastively amplified in all polysomy cases, but it was not amplified in all monosomy cases. No case of solid-tubular carcinoma recognized the amplification. The relation was different according to the histological type of breast cancer.