Expression of cytokeratins 5/6 and cytokeratin 17 in invasive breast carcinoma

Cytokeratins (CK) 5/6 and 17, myoepithelial markers, are also expressed in a proportion of breast carcinomas. Breast carcinomas expressing basal epithelium cytokeratins constitute a tumor subgroup that shows common but heterogeneous morphological, genetical, and immunophenotypical features and is associated with poor clinical outcome. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of basal expression of cytokines CK5/6 and CK17 in the tested samples of ductal invasive breast cancers, as well as to test the presence of a correlation of tumor expression of basal cytokines and clinicopathological prognostic factors: age, the level of histological differentiation, hormone receptor status, HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) protein expresion and HER2 gene amplification in tumorous tissue.