男性乳癌雌激素受体状态与临床病理关系的研究

应用生物素抗生物素过氧化酶法,对33例男性乳癌石蜡切片进行雌激素受体检测,结果发现雌激素受体的阳性率在男性乳癌比女性乳癌高,组织类型中髓样癌较高,占88.89%,而单纯癌、腺癌较低占50%,除了探讨雌激素受体和组织类型关系外,还进一步探讨了其与组织分级关系,雌激素受体阳性率随组织分级升高而降低,说明分化好,雌激素受体倾向阳性。而雌激素受体阳性男性乳癌在临床上病程长,肿块生长缓慢,浸润体征多,对内分泌疗效反应好。本文还分析了男性乳腺发育与男性乳癌的关系,在雌激素受体阳性男乳发育伴导管上皮增生时,应视为男性乳癌致病的危险因素。     

乳腺癌细胞核形态与预后关系的定量研究

应用图象分析技术测定５７例乳腺癌细胞核形态参数，观察它们在不同临床病理状况下与预后的关系。结果显示，雌激素受体阴性、淋巴结有转移的、低分化单纯癌及５０岁以下患者，细胞核大则生存期较短；而无淋巴结转移、高分化导管浸润癌及５０岁以上患者，大核乳腺癌术后５年生存率较高。生存组细胞核形状因子较大，且与各临床病理因素无明显相关。     

癌基因c─erbB─2、抗癌基因p53在乳腺癌中表达的临床病理研究

应用ＡＢＣ法、ＬＳＡＢ法对１４４例乳腺癌及癌旁组织进行了ｃ─ｅｒｂＢ─２、ｐ５３基因蛋白表达的研究。结果：ｃ─ｅｒｂＢ─２表达阳性率为４８．６％，浸润性导管癌阳性率最高（７４．１％）；其表达与肿瘤体积、淋巴结转移、组织分级、核分裂计数、临床分期呈正相关，与雌激素受体（ＥＲ）、孕激素受体（ＰＲ）状况呈负相关，表达者５年生存率显著低于表达阴性者．因而ｃ─ｅｒｂＢ─２表达的检测可作为评估乳腺癌预后的有力指标。ｐ５３表达的阳性率为２４．７％，髓样癌阳性率较高（３８．５％）；ｐ５３表达与组织分级和淋巴结转移状况呈正相关；阳性率随肿瘤体积增大和临床分期升高而增加；在ＥＲ或ＰＲ阴性者中ｐ５３阳性率高于ＥＲ或ＰＲ阳性者。本文未发现ｃ─ｅｒｂＢ─２与ｐ５３表达的相关性；两者表达均阳性者与仅一种阳性者在肿瘤体积、淋巴结转移和临床分期方面差异无显著性。     

人乳腺癌组织中GATA3的表达及其临床意义

 目的：探讨乳腺癌组织中转录因子GATA3的表达及其临床意义。方法: 应用免疫组化法检测124例乳腺癌组织中GATA3的表达水平,分析其与临床病理指标的关系,探讨其在预测乳腺癌预后中的意义。结果: GATA3的低表达与雌激素受体（ER）/孕激素受体（PR）阴性、肿瘤高组织学分级、脉管癌栓、p53基因突变等表示预后较差的指标相关（P<005）,但与肿瘤大小、人表皮生长因子受体 2（HER-2）表达水平、年龄和淋巴结转移情况无关（P>005）;在全部乳腺癌组织中GATA3阳性表达率为564%,GATA3在luminal型乳腺癌中的表达率为684%,高于非luminal型乳腺癌（326%）,且差异有统计学意义（P<005）;全部乳腺癌组织中术后复发风险中危组GATA3阳性率高于复发风险高危组（P<005）。结论: 在乳腺癌组织中GATA3的表达水平与组织的分化水平及肿瘤的生物学特性相关,对指导临床治疗及评估患者的预后研究具有一定的意义。     

抑癌基因PTEN和血管内皮生长因子-C表达与乳腺癌淋巴管密度的相关性及其临床意义

目的:研究乳腺癌中抑癌基因PTEN和血管内皮生长因子-C(VEGF-C)表达与肿瘤间质淋巴管密度(LVD)的相关性及其临床意义。方法:应用EliVision免疫组化法检测90例乳腺浸润性导管癌组织和30例乳腺纤维腺瘤组织中PTEN、VEGF-C和淋巴管内皮细胞透明质酸受体1(LYVE-1)的表达,计算LYVE-1标记的乳腺癌间质淋巴管的密度,分析PTEN和VEGF-C与LVD的关系。结果:PTEN和VEGF-C在乳腺癌中的表达阳性率分别为48.9%、47.8%,LVD为(8.03±2.26)个/HPF,与良性对照组比较均有显著差异(P<0.01)。PTEN阳性率随乳腺癌淋巴结转移的出现和临床分期的升高而降低(P<0.05),乳腺癌VEGF-C阳性率随淋巴结转移的出现和临床分期的升高而增加(P<0.05),PTEN阳性组乳腺癌的LVD水平低于PTEN阴性组(P<0.05),VEGF-C阳性组乳腺癌的LVD水平高于VEGF-C阴性组(P<0.01),PTEN阳性组乳腺癌的VEGF-C阳性率低于PTEN阴性组(P<0.05)。结论:PTEN和VEGF-C的异常表达与乳腺癌间质淋巴管密度密切相关,在乳腺癌的淋巴管生成及侵袭转移过程中具有重要作用。     

AR在ER阳性和阴性乳腺癌中的表达及临床意义

目的 探讨雄激素受体(androgen receptor, AR)在ER阳性和阴性乳腺癌中的表达及其与临床病理特征、预后的关系。方法 收集270例浸润性乳腺癌患者的临床病理资料，将ER分成阳性组与阴性组。分析两组AR表达与乳腺癌临床病理特征及多种蛋白标志物的关系，并复习相关文献。使用Kaplan-Meier Plotter数据库对AR在乳腺癌患者的预后价值进行分析。结果 270例浸润性乳腺癌患者AR阳性率为78.5%。AR与ER、PR、HER-2、CK5/6、组织学分级、Ki-67增殖指数、神经侵犯及脉管侵犯有关(P<0.05)。ER阳性组中AR阳性率(88.1%)高于ER阴性组(60.2%)。进一步分析发现ER阳性组中AR与组织学分级及CK5/6阳性有关(P<0.05);ER阴性组中AR与HER-2、CK5/6、组织学分级、神经侵犯、脉管侵犯、淋巴结转移及pTNM分期有关(P<0.05)。Kaplan-Meier Plotter预后分析发现，ER阳性组中AR高表达者总生存期显著高于低表达者，而ER阴性组中AR高表达者总生存期低于低表达者(P<0.05)。结论 ...     

乳腺浸润性导管癌中HMGA1和CXCR4的表达及临床意义

目的探讨高迁移率族蛋白A1(high mobility group A1,HMGA1)和趋化因子受体4(C-X-C chemokine receptor 4,CXCR4)在乳腺浸润性导管癌组织中的表达及临床意义。方法采用免疫组化法检测105例乳腺浸润性导管癌和80例乳腺腺病组织中HMGA1和CXCR4的表达,并分析两者表达与临床病理特征的相关性。结果 HMGA1和CXCR4在乳腺浸润性导管癌组织中的阳性率明显高于乳腺腺病(77.14%vs 26.25%,73.33%vs 23.75%),差异有统计学意义(P0.001)。HMGA1和CXCR4在乳腺癌组织中的表达差异无统计学意义(r=0.104,P=0.289),提示两者的表达相互独立,且两者联合检测能够提高诊断的敏感性(两者任一阳性)和特异性(两者均为阳性)。CXCR4在PR阳性的乳腺浸润性导管癌组织中的阳性率(87.5%)高于PR阴性浸润性导管癌(60.0%),差异有统计学意义(P=0.008)。结论 HMGA1在乳腺浸润性导管癌组织中高表达,CXCR4在乳腺浸润性导管癌组织中以低表达为主,两者均具有较高的敏感性,联合检测能够明显提高乳腺癌诊断的敏感性和特异性。HMGA1、CXCR4在乳腺组织中的高表达,对于乳腺癌的诊断和预后评估具有一定的临床意义,有望为乳腺癌的诊断和治疗提供一种新的理论基础。     

Twist转录因子、E-钙黏蛋白和N-钙黏蛋白在乳腺癌中的表达及意义

目的 观察上皮间质转化因子Twist转录因子(简称Twist)和相关蛋白E-和N-钙黏蛋白(cadherin)在乳腺癌中的表达及其与患者临床病理指标的关系.方法 采用免疫组织化学SP法检测56例浸润性导管癌、38例浸润性小叶癌和41例导管内癌以及10例正常乳腺组织中Twist、E-和N-cadherin的表达.结果 (1)三种病理类型乳腺癌组织中,Twist阳性率分别为46.4%(26/56)、79.0%(30/38)和26.8%(11/41),其中浸润性小叶癌中Twist阳性率显著高于浸润性导管癌和导管内癌(分别P=0.002、0.000);E-cadherin阳性率分别为78.6%(44/56)、29.0%(11/38)和80.5%(33/41),其中浸润性导管癌和导管内癌中E-cadherin阳性率显著高于浸润性小叶癌(均P=0.000);N-cadherin阳性率分别为53.6%(30/56)、68.4%(30/56)和31.7%(13/41),其中在浸润性导管癌和浸润性小叶癌中的阳性表达显著高于导管内癌(分别P=0.033、0.001).(2)135例乳腺癌组织中Twist和E-cadherin表达呈显著负相关性(P=0.005,Spearman相关系数-0.239);Twist和N-cadherin 表达呈显著正相关性(P=0.000,Spearman相关系数0.319).(3)乳腺浸润性导管癌差分化组中N-cadherin阳性率显著高于中分化和高分化组(P=0.004).(4)乳腺浸润性小叶癌淋巴结转移组中Twist阳性率显著高于淋巴结未转移组(P=0.037).结论 三种蛋白在三种乳腺癌组织中的表达差异较大.Twist阳性表达与乳腺浸润性小叶癌淋巴结转移相关.N-cadherin阳性率与乳腺浸润性导管癌组织学分级相关.检测这三个指标可为研究乳腺癌的进展和转移机制及评判其生物学行为提供有价值的参考.     

乳腺癌中高迁移率族蛋白B1蛋白表达及其临床病理意义

目的探讨高迁移率族蛋白B1(HMGB1)蛋白在乳腺癌中的表达及临床病理意义。方法收集2006—2018年浙江省东阳市人民医院病理科浸润性乳腺癌石蜡标本417例和同时切除的正常乳腺组织石蜡标本26例。采用免疫组织化学EnVision法检测和比较浸润性乳腺癌组织和正常乳腺组织中HMGB1蛋白的表达。分析HMGB1蛋白胞核高表达及胞质阳性表达与乳腺癌患者临床病理特征的关系。结果(1)乳腺癌中HMGB1蛋白胞核高表达率及胞质阳性率分别为80.8%(337/417)和16.8%(70/417),而其在正常乳腺组织中分别为46.2%(12/26)和0。乳腺癌中HMGB1蛋白胞核高表达率和胞质阳性率均明显高于正常乳腺组织(分别P<0.001,P=0.046)。(2)组织学级别高、雌激素受体(ER)阴性、孕激素受体(PR)阴性的乳腺癌患者,其HMGB1蛋白胞核高表达率明显更高(分别P=0.006,P=0.004,P<0.001),胞质阳性率也明显更高(均P<0.001)。Logistic回归模型多因素分析显示乳腺癌患者HMGB1蛋白胞核高表达的独立相关因素为肿瘤组织学分级(OR=2.188,95%CI=1.078~4.443,P=0.030),而HMGB1蛋白胞质阳性表达的独立相关因素包括肿瘤组织学分级(OR=3.031,95%CI=1.600~5.742,P=0.001)、ER(OR=0.129,95%CI=0.034~0.494,P=0.003)及TNM分期(OR=3.820,95%CI=1.042~14.001,P=0.043)。(3)Cox比例风险模型多因素分析显示HMGB1蛋白胞核高表达是影响乳腺癌患者总生存的独立危险因素(HR=0.366,95%CI=0.138~0.972,P=0.044)。结论HMGB1蛋白胞核高表达及胞质阳性表达与乳腺癌患者多项预后不良因素密切相关,有望成为抗乳腺癌治疗的一个潜在生物学标志。     

Androgen receptor expression in ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast: relation to oestrogen and progesterone receptors

AIMS: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast has been diagnosed increasingly since the advent of mammographic screening. In contrast to the situation in invasive breast carcinoma, there are no reports on androgen receptor (AR) status in DCIS and few reports on oestrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors. METHODS: AR expression was examined in 57 cases of DCIS of the breast and correlated to the degree of differentiation and ER/PR status using immunohistochemical methods. RESULTS: AR positivity was noted in 19 of the cases, whereas the other 38 cases were negative. There was no significant association between AR expression and the degree of differentiation of DCIS; three of the 13 well differentiated DCIS cases, 10 of the 19 intermediately differentiated cases, and six of the 25 poorly differentiated cases were positive (p = 0.093). However, a strong association was shown between the expression of ER (p < 0.0001) and PR (p = 0.002) and the degree of differentiation of DCIS. In addition, no significant association was found between the expression of AR and the expression of ER (p = 0.26) or PR (p = 0.57) in DCIS of the breast. CONCLUSIONS: A large number of cases of DCIS of the breast express AR and this may be associated with apocrine differentiation, which may impact on accurate typing of DCIS. Moreover, the expression of AR (but not ER or PR) in DCIS does not appear to be associated with the degree of differentiation.     

Immunocytochemical evaluation of estrogen receptors in histological specimens of primary breast cancer

Immunocytochemical methods (ER-ICA) by using monoclonal antibodies were applied to determine the presence of estrogen receptors (ER) in 44 primary breast cancers in women. Of this 48% of the tumours were classified as receptor positive. In these tumours the nuclei had a clearly positive heterogenous colouration. In three cases a positive reaction was also found in benign epithelial cells of the breast. ER determinations by ER-ICA method were compared with quantitative analysis carried out by using radioligand and immunoenzymatic methods. There was a strong correlation between immunocytochemical ER evaluations and quantitative methods. We also found a correlation of the menopause state and patients age and ER content.     

Mean nuclear area and metallothionein expression in ductal breast tumors: correlation with estrogen receptor status.

Breast carcinoma is the most common malignancy in women. Estrogen is an important growth factor for breast tumor that plays an important role in regulating the proliferation and differentiation of normal and malignant mammary epithelial cells. Nuclear morphometry and metallothioneins (MTs) are indicators of proliferation that have been used as predictors of prognosis in many tumors. The present study aimed to study mean nuclear area (MNA) and MT; estrogen receptor (ER) expression in fibroadenoma (FA), ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast. Also MNA and MT expression will be correlated with histologic grade and ER status in breast carcinoma. Breast tissues from 18 patients with FA, 10 patients with DCIS, and 40 patients with IDC were used in this study. MNA and MT expression; as proliferation markers; were investigated and correlated with ER status. All cases of FA, 7 out of 10 cases (70%) of DCIS and 23 out of 40 cases (57.5%) of IDC were positive for ER. MNA of cancer cells was significantly larger than that of normal and benign breast tissue. A significant direct correlation was found between MNA and histologic grades. MNA of ER-negative carcinomas was significantly larger than that of ER-positive tumors. In normal and benign breast tissue, myoepithelial cells consistently expressed the MT protein. Four out of 10 DCIS cases (40%) and 24 out of 40 cases of IDC cases (60%) were positively stained for MT. MT positivity was directly correlated with histologic grade of IDC. There was a highly significant inverse correlation between MT and ER overexpression. From this study, it is concluded that in invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast, the large MNA and MT overexpression are correlated with histologic grades and ER negativity. Therefore, large MNA and MT overexpression may be possible important indicators for more aggressive and less differentiated breast carcinoma.     

uPA与ER在乳腺癌组织中的表达及相关性分析

目的研究雌激素受体（ER）与尿激酶型纤溶酶原激活物（urokinasc-type plasminogen activator,uPA）在乳腺癌组织中的表达及其临床意义。方法免疫组织化学染色采用PV-6000二步法,对40例乳腺癌蜡块中ER、uPA表达进行研究。结果乳腺腺瘤、腺病和乳腺癌中ER阳性率分别为85.O％、82.5％和60.6％,三者差异有统计学意义（P〈O.05）;ER表达阳性患者淋巴结转移率（33.33％）低于ER表达阴性者（81.25％）,差异有统计学意义（P〈O.01）。uPA在乳腺纤维腺瘤、腺病均呈阴性表达,在乳腺癌中的阳性率为60.00％,三者差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）;uPA表达阳性患者淋巴结转移率（88.5％）显著高于阴性者（50.O％）,两者的表达差异有统计学意义（P〈O.05）。结论uPA的高表达和ER的缺失表达与乳腺癌的浸润转移密切相关,检测ER和uPA对临床选择治疗方法有指导意义。     

不同ER、PR状态乳腺癌中AR的表达及其意义

目的探讨AR在不同ER、PR状态乳腺癌中的表达及意义。方法采用免疫组化方法检测AR、ER、PR在173例乳腺癌中的表达,依据结果分组:(1)AR状态分组:AR阳性组和AR阴性组;(2)ER、PR状态分组:En组(ER、PR均阴性)、Ep组[ER和(或)PR阳性];(3)AR、ER、PR联合分组:En-AR+(En组且AR阳性)、En-AR-(En组且AR阴性)、Ep-AR+(Ep组且AR阳性)、Ep-AR-(Ep组且AR阴性),其中En-AR-又称为均阴性组,其他三组统称为部分或完全阳性组。不同分组方法比较与临床病理特征的关系。结果Ep组AR阳性率62.8%(54/86),En组AR阳性率37.9%(33/87),两组差异有显著性(P=0.001),AR阳性组体积小、核分裂少、组织学分级低(P0.05);En-AR-组表现为核分裂多、组织学分级高(P0.01),此外En组内AR阳性者核分裂少、组织学分级低(P0.05),Ep组内AR阳性者临床分期高(P=0.000),En-AR+、Ep-AR+、Ep-AR-比较均无差异。结论AR在不同激素状态乳腺癌中表达的意义不同,ER、PR均阴性乳腺癌表达AR者预后较好,ER、PR阳性乳腺癌表达AR者临床分期高。在选择针对性药物时应考虑到不同激素受体状态的组合。     

p53 mutation in breast cancer. Correlation with cell kinetics and cell of origin

AIM: Several studies have investigated the expression of the cytokeratins (CKs), vimentin, the epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR), the oestrogen receptor (ER), and the progesterone receptor (PgR), in breast cancer, but no study has directly compared p53 mutations with these phenotypic and differentiation markers in the same case. The present study was designed to provide some of this information. METHODS: The expression of the p53 and bcl-2 proteins was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in relation to phenotypic characteristics and cellular kinetic parameters (mitotic index and apoptotic index) in 37 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and 27 cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast. In addition, p53 gene mutation was examined by polymerase chain reaction single strand conformation polymorphism analysis (SSCP). RESULTS: Thirteen cases (eight DCIS and five IDC) showed expression of CK8, CK14, CK18, vimentin, and EGFR, consistent with a stem cell phenotype, whereas 44 cases (27 DCIS and 17 IDC) showed expression of CK8 and CK1, weak or negative expression of CK18, but were negative for vimentin and EGFR, consistent with a luminal cell phenotype. DCIS and IDC cases with a stem cell phenotype were ER/PgR negative and intermediately or poorly differentiated. In contrast, the cases with luminal cell phenotype were ER/PgR positive and well or intermediately differentiated. In addition, intermediately or poorly differentiated cases with a stem cell phenotype showed higher proliferative activity (per cent of MIB-l positive cells) than did intermediately or well differentiated cases with a luminal cell phenotype. Both DCIS and IDC cases with a stem cell phenotype were p53 positive and bcl-2 negative by immunohistochemistry. In IDC, p53 expression was associated with a reduction of both mitotic index and apoptotic index compared with DCIS. Most of the tumours showing a more differentiated phenotype (luminal) were p53 negative and bcl-2 positive. In these cases, cell kinetic parameters increased from DCIS to IDC. These data suggest the existence of subsets of DCIS and IDC that, because of their phenotypic characteristics, could be derived from subpopulations of normal breast cells having different control mechanisms of cell proliferation and neoplastic progression. CONCLUSIONS: These results are compatible with the hypothesis that the phenotype of the cell of origin constrains both tumour phenotype and the choice of genetic events; however, the occurrence of p53 mutants by chance during neoplastic transformation cannot be excluded.     

Estrogen receptors in skin appendage tumors and extramammary Paget's disease.

Determination of estrogen receptors (ER) in breast carcinoma is valuable in the management of patients. However, little is known about the presence of these receptors in other tumors. Normal skin appendages and their neoplasms, including extramammary Paget's disease (EPD), might be expected to express ER since the breast is histogenetically related to sweat glands. In this study, 41 cases of skin appendage tumors (SAT) and 11 cases of EPD were stained using the ER-ICA monoclonal kit (Abbott, Chicago, IL) with a modified technique for paraffin-embedded sections. Controls included 10 biopsies of primary breast carcinoma and 4 cases of metastatic breast carcinoma to skin, all positive for ER. None of the samples of SAT or EPD showed staining for ER. Normal skin appendages were also negative. Normal vaginal epithelium in one case of EPD showed positive nuclear staining for ER. ER determination using immunohistochemical technique in paraffin-embedded sections may be useful in the differential diagnosis between malignant SAT and metastatic breast carcinoma in the skin. The absence of ER in normal skin appendages suggests that its apparition is a feature of specialized differentiation of breast epithelium.     

乳腺导管原位癌组织学分级与其他预后因素的关系

目的　探讨乳腺导管原位癌组织学分级与分型以及ｃｅｒｂＢ２ 蛋白、ｐ５３ 蛋白、ＭＩＢ１ 、雌激素受体（ＥＲ） 表达的关系,以期为临床判断潜在恶性程度及预后提供参数。方法　参照Ｖａｎ Ｎｕｙｓ 分类方法,对３２ 例乳腺导管原位癌按核的分级、有无坏死进行组织学分级,并将标本行ｃｅｒｂＢ２ 蛋白、ｐ５３ 蛋白、ＭＩＢ１、ＥＲ的枸橼酸微波ＡＢＣ免疫组化法染色。结果　Ⅰ级（分化好）１２ 例（３７．５％ ） ,Ⅱ级（中度分化）９ 例（２８．１％ ） ,Ⅲ级１１ 例（３４．４％ ）。Ⅲ级患者中,９ 例为粉刺型,１ 例为微乳头状型,１ 例为实体型,Ⅲ级的ｃｅｒｂＢ２、ｐ５３ 和ＭＩＢ１ 蛋白表达的阳性率分别高于Ⅱ级和Ⅰ级,并与Ⅰ级比较差异有显著意义（ Ｐ＜０．０５） ,ＥＲ阳性率低于Ⅱ级和Ⅰ级。结论　乳腺导管原位癌Ｖａｎ Ｎｕｙｓ 组织学分级可能是一个较好的预后指标。     

Loss of bcl-2 expression in ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast relates to poor histological differentiation and to expression of p53 and c-erbB-2 proteins

Aim : This study (1) investigates the incidence of bcl-2 protein expression in a series of 108 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), including 25 with early invasive carcinoma, and (2) evaluates the relationship of bcl-2 expression to the histological grade of DCIS and to the expression of oestrogen receptor (ER), c-erbB-2 and p53 proteins.  

Methods and results

The expression of bcl-2, oestrogen receptor (ER), c-erbB-2 and p53 proteins was determined immunohistochemically. Cases were regarded as positive for individual antibodies when at least 10% of the DCIS cells showed positive staining. DCIS was graded histologically as well ( n  = 9), intermediately ( n  = 24), or poorly differentiated ( n  = 75). bcl-2 expression was documented in 57 cases (53%) and was strongly associated with the histological grade of DCIS ( P  < 0.0001). All cases of well-differentiated DCIS were bcl-2 positive and loss of bcl-2 expression was almost exclusively confined to poorly differentiated DCIS lesions. bcl-2 expression was also closely associated with positive ER status ( P  < 0.0001). Forty-seven of 57 (82%) bcl-2 positive cases were ER positive while 49/51 (96%) bcl-2 negative cases were ER negative. There was a significant inverse correlation between bcl-2 expression and both p53 protein expression ( P  = 0.0004) and c-erbB-2 expression ( P  < 0.0001). Nineteen of 24 (79%) p53 positive cases and 38/45 (84%) c-erbB-2 positive cases showed loss of bcl-2.  

Conclusions

Loss of bcl-2 expression occurs in poorly differentiated DCIS and is related to negative ER status and to positive p53 and c-erbB-2 status. This pattern of bcl-2 expression and its association with other biological markers in DCIS is similar to that reported in invasive breast carcinoma.