J Breast Cancer.  2006 Jun;9(2):105-109. 10.4048/jbc.2006.9.2.105.

Biologic behavior of E-cadherin in Invasive Ductal Carcinoma of the Breast

• Lee SG
• Bae JW
• Kim JH
• Chae YS
• Cho KR
• Lee JB
• Son GS
• Koo BH

• KMID: 2286627
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4048/jbc.2006.9.2.105

Abstract

PURPOSE
: E-cadherin is a tumor suppressor adhesion molecule that has an anti-invasive role and it is often considered as a useful marker for differentiating the lobular types from the ductal types of breast cancer. Yet the biological functions of E-cadherin in the invasive ductal types of breast cancers are unclear.
METHODS
: The E-cadherin expression was assessed immunohistochemically in 84 case of surgically resected invasive ductal carcinoma. Only the membranous expression of E-cadherin was considered and its expression was categorized as positive (>95% stained) or negative (<95% stained). The relationship between the E-cadherin expression and tumor size, the lymph node status, the histologic grade, the ER and PR status, The HER2/neu and p53 expressions was studied by performing prospective aspect.
RESULTS
: We analyzed 84 invasive ductal carcinomas for the E-cadherin expressions. Variable degrees of E-cadherin expression were noted in 79 cases and the complete absence of its expression was noted in 5 cases(5.9%) which showed all HER2/neu positive and p53 negative. Positive expression of E-cadherin was noted in 66cases(78.5%). Significant associations were found between the E-cadherin expression and the tumor size and the estrogen receptor status. The expression of E-cadherin was not found to be related to the lymph node status, histologic grade, the progesteron receptor status, the HER2/neu and p53 expressions.
CONCLUSION
We confirmed that there was a strong correlation between the negative membrane expressions of E-cadherin and the T-stages and a negative estrogen receptor status. E-cadherin immunostaining appears to have a minimal prognostic value and it can be efficiently used for determining tumor progression of invasive ductal carcinomas of the breast.

Keyword

breast ductal carcinoma; E-cadherin; immunohistochemistry

MeSH Terms

Breast Neoplasms
Breast*
Cadherins*
Carcinoma, Ductal*
Estrogens
Immunohistochemistry
Lymph Nodes
Membranes
Prospective Studies
Cadherins
Estrogens

Reference

1. Frixen UH, Behrens J, Sachs M, Eberle G, Voss B, Warda A, et al. E-cadherin mediated cell-cell adhesion prevents invasiveness of carcinoma cells. J cell Biol. 1991. 113:173–185.

2. Pierceall WE, Woodard AS, Morrow JS, Rimm DI, Fearon ER. Frequent alterations in E-cadherin and alpha- and beta-catenin expression in human breast cancer cell lines. Oncogene. 1995. 11:1319–1326.

3. Lipponen P, Saarelainen E, Ji H, Aaltomaa S, Syrjanen K. Expression of E-cadherin as related to other prognostic factors and survival in breast cancer. J Pathol. 1994. 174:101–109.

4. Acs G, Lawton TJ, Rebbeck TR, LiVolsi VA, Zhang PJ. Differential expression of E-cadherin in lobular and ductal neoplasms of the breast and its biologic and diagnostic implications. Am J Clin Pathol. 2001. 115:85–98.

5. Goldstein NS. Does the level of E-cadherin expression correlate with the primary breast carcinoma infiltration pattern and type of systemic metastases? Am J Clin Pathol. 2002. 118:425–434.

6. Huiping C, Sigurgeirsdottir JR, Jonasson JG, Eiriksdottir G, Johannsdottir JT, Egilsson V, et al. Chromosome alterations and E-cadherin gene mutations in human lobular breast cancer. Br J Cancer. 1999. 81:1103–1110.

7. Tanaka M, Kitajima Y, Edakuni G, Sato S, Miyazaki K. Abnormal expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin may be a molecular marker of submucosal invasion and lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer. Br J Surg. 2002. 89:236–244.

8. Li YJ, Ji XR. Relationship between expression of E-cadherin-catenin complex and clinicopathologic characteristics of pancreatic cancer. World J Gastroenterol. 2003. 9:368–372.

9. Rakha RA, Rehim DA, Pinder SE, lewis SA, Ellis IO. E-cadherin expression in invasive non-lobular carcinoma of the breast and its prognostic significance. Histopathology. 2005. 46:685–693.

10. Moll R, Mitze M, Frixen UH, Birchmeier W. Differential loss of E-cadherin expression in infiltrating ductal and lobular breast carcinomas. Am J Pathol. 1993. 143:1731–1742.

11. Siitonen SM, Kononen JT, Helin HJ, Rantala IS, Holli KA, Isola JJ. Reduced E-cadherin expression is associated with invasiveness and unfavorable prognosis in breast cancer. Am J Clin Pathol. 1996. 105:394–402.

12. Gamallo C, Palacios J, Suarez A, Pizarro A, Navarro P, Quintanilla M, et al. Correlation of E-cadherin expression with differentiation grade and histological type in breas carcinoma. Am J Pathol. 1993. 142:987–993.

13. Oka H, Shiozaki H, Kobayashi K, Inoue M, Tahara H, Kobayashi T, et al. Expression of E-Cadherin cell adhesion molecules in human breast cancer tissues and its relationship to metastasis. Cancer Research. 1993. 53:1696–1701.

14. Brinck U, Jacobs S, Neuss M, Tory K, Rath W, Kulle B, et al. Diffuse growth pattern affects E-cadherin expression in invasive breast cancer. Anticancer Res. 2004. 24:2237–2242.

15. Gillett CE, Miles DW, Ryder K, Ryder K, Skilton D, Liebman RD, et al. Retention of the expression of E-cadherin and catenins is associated with shorter survival in grade III ductal carcinoma of the breast. J Pathol. 2001. 193:433–441.

16. Parker C, Rampaul RS, Pinder SE, Bell JA, Wencyk PM, Blamey RW, et al. E-cadherin as a prognostic indicator in primary breast cancer. Br J Cancer. 2001. 85:1958–1963.

17. Tan DS, Potts HW, Leong AC, Gillett CE, Skilton D, Harris WH, et al. The biological and prognostic significance of cell polarity and E-cadherin in grade I infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast. J Pathol. 1999. 189:20–27.

18. Bukholm IK, Nesland JM, Karesen R, Jacobsen U, Dale ALB. Expression of E-cadherin and its relation to the p53 protein status in human breast carcinomas. Virchows Arch. 1997. 432:317–321.

19. Heimann R, Lan F, McBride R, Hellman S. Separating favorable from unfavorable prognostic markers in breast cancer: the role of E-cadherin. Cancer Res. 2000. 60:298–304.

20. Maguire TM, Shering SG, McDermott EW, O'Higgins N, Fennelly JJ, Crown J, et al. Assay of E-cadherin by ELLISA in human breast cancers. Eur J Cancer. 1997. 33:404–408.

21. Harigopal M, Berger AJ, Camp RL, Rimm DL, Kluger HM. Automated Quantitative analysis of E-cadherin expression in lymph node metastases is predictive of survivl in invasive ductal breast cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2005. 11:4083–4089.

22. Elzagheid A, Kuopio T, Ilmen M, Collan Y. Prognostication of invasive ductal breast cancer by quantification of E-cadherin immunostaining: the methodology and clinical relevance. Histopathology. 2002. 41:127–133.

23. Asgeirsson KS, Jonasson JG, Tryggvadottir L, Olafsdottir K, Sigurgeirdottir JR, Ingvarsson S. Altered expression of E-cadherin in breast cancer pattern, mechanism and clinical significance. Eur J cancer. 2000. 36:1098–1106.

24. Kim JM, Kim TY, Song D, Kim SY, Back MJ, Lee MS, et al. Expression of E-cadherin and clinical correlation in patients with breast carcinoma. J Korean Breast Cancer Soc. 2004. 7:148–153.