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Differential immunostaining of various types of breast carcinomas for growth hormone‐releasing hormone receptor – Apocrine epithelium and carcinomas emerging as uniformly positive
Author(s) -
Kővári Bence,
Rusz Orsolya,
Schally Andrew V.,
Kahán Zsuzsanna,
Cserni Gábor
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
apmis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0903-4641
DOI - 10.1111/apm.12224
Subject(s) - apocrine , pathology , breast cancer , immunohistochemistry , medicine , immunostaining , hormone receptor , hormone , cancer , oncology
Different classes of breast cancers were explored for their positivity for growth hormone‐releasing hormone receptors ( GHRH ‐R) in this pilot study, as no systematic evaluation of such tumors has been performed to date. Seventy‐two small primary breast carcinomas were evaluated for GHRH ‐R expression by immunohistochemistry using a polyclonal antibody and a cutoff value of 10% staining. GHRH ‐R positivity was detected in 58% of all cases, 20/23 (87%) of invasive lobular carcinomas ( ILC ) and 22/46 (48%) of invasive ductal carcinomas ( IDC ). GHRH ‐R positivity was more frequent in grade 2 tumors (86%), as compared to grade 1 (18%) or grade 3 (47%) cancers. GHRH ‐R expression was not associated with mitotic scores, the Ki‐67 labeling indices or nodal status. IDC s with casting‐type calcifications on the mammogram showed positivity for GHRH ‐R in 9/12 (75%) cases. Most importantly, apocrine epithelium, and all 10 apocrine carcinomas added later to the study were GHRH ‐R‐positive. These preliminary results suggest a greater than average GHRH ‐R expression in ILC s and IDC s associated with casting‐type calcifications on the mammogram. Apocrine carcinomas seem uniformly positive for GHRH ‐R. Whether these findings could indicate a potential role of GHRH ‐antagonists in targeted treatment of these types of breast cancer requires further studies.