Premium
Abnormal α‐catenin expression in invasive breast cancer correlates with poor patient survival
Author(s) -
Nakopoulou L,
GakiopoulouGivalou H,
Karayiannakis A J,
Giannopoulou I,
Keramopoulos A,
Davaris P,
Pignatelli M
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
histopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.626
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1365-2559
pISSN - 0309-0167
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2559.2002.01392.x
Subject(s) - catenin , cadherin , breast cancer , medicine , immunohistochemistry , stage (stratigraphy) , survival analysis , pathology , cancer , lymph node , oncology , biology , wnt signaling pathway , cell , gene , biochemistry , paleontology , genetics
Abnormal α‐catenin expression in invasive breast cancer correlates with poor patient survivalAims : α‐Catenin is a member of the E‐cadherin‐catenin family of adhesion molecules whose role is essential for the function of the E‐cadherin complex. In this study, we have evaluated the expression of α‐catenin but also of the other catenins (β‐, γ‐ and p120‐catenin) and E‐cadherin in invasive breast cancer and statistically analysed these expressions with known clinicopathological parameters, c‐erbB‐2 oncoprotein expression and patient survival. Methods and results : Abnormal E‐cadherin and β‐catenin expression, especially loss of expression, was associated with lobular histological type of breast carcinomas ( P =0.03 and P =0.01, respectively). Abnormal E‐cadherin and α‐catenin expression was associated with high histological grade ductal carcinomas ( P =0.01 and P =0.03, respectively). Abnormal E‐cadherin and β‐catenin expression was correlated with lymph node metastases ( P =0.02 and P =0.05, respectively), while abnormal α‐ and β‐catenin were correlated with the advanced stage of the disease ( P =0.04 and P =0.05, respectively). Abnormal p120‐catenin expression was associated with loss of PR ( P =0.008). Survival analysis demonstrated a statistically significant association between abnormal α‐catenin expression and poor patient survival ( P =0.02). When survival analysis was performed according to the different patterns of abnormal expression, statistically significant associations were seen between cytoplasmic α‐ and β‐catenin expression and poor survival ( P =0.006 and P =0.04, respectively). Conclusions : α‐Catenin, especially its cytoplasmic expression, seems to be a more sensitive prognostic marker than the other members of the E‐cadherin complex in invasive breast cancer.