乳腺基底细胞样癌的临床病理观察

目的 探讨乳腺基底细胞样癌(basal-like carcinoma,BLC))的临床病理特征、免疫表型特点及预后.方法 收集乳腺BLC 12例,总结其临床资料、大体及组织病理学特征,并进行免疫组化EnVision法染色.选用的抗体包括CK5/6、vimentin、CK8、ER、PR及c-erbB-2等.结果 本组患者均为女性,发病平均年龄40.4岁.12例乳腺BLC均为组织学Ⅲ级.肿瘤表现为无腺管的富于细胞的实性结构,周围有较少的纤维结缔组织间隔;大多数表现为推进式生长方式,周围有大量淋巴细胞浸润;排列呈实性巢状、片状、团块状及粗大带状结构伴有片状地图样坏死,肿瘤中央可出现无细胞结构的纤维瘢痕.肿瘤细胞胞质少呈合体状,核为圆形、卵圆形,胞核胞质比例高,核分裂象活跃.12例乳腺BLC的免疫表型均为ER、PR及c-erbB-2阴性,而CK5/6、CK8及vimentin阳性.结论 乳腺BLC是一种新的乳腺癌类型,具有独特的免疫组化特征、组织形态学特点及生物学特性,应作为一种独立的乳腺癌亚型加以认识.     

p16INK4a expression in basal-like breast carcinoma

BLBC represents a distinctive group of invasive breast carcinomas with specific genotype and immunopro-file. BLBC is usually defined by gene expression profiling and is currently associated with poor outcome. BLBCs are estrogen receptor (ER) negative, progesterone receptor (PgR) negative, HER2 negative, and usually show a variable expression of basal cytokeratins (CKs), EGFR and CD117. p16 ^INK4a is a tumor suppressor protein, encoded by the CDKN2A gene, which regulates cell cycle. The reported association of abnormalities in the p16/Rb pathway with increased risk of malignancy prompted us to determine the expression of p16^INK4a in a group of BLBC; the results were compared with a group of high-grade invasive carcinoma (HG-IC) of breast. Tissue microarrays (TMA) were constructed in triplicate including 18 BLBC and 18 HG-IC. All BLBC cases were ER-/PgR-/HER2-. Seventeen (94%) BLBC were CK 5/6+/CK 14+; 14 (78%) BLCB showed EGFR expression and 13 (72%) were CD117 positive. BLBCs showed a strong positive reaction with p16 ^INK4a antibody in 16 of 18 (89%) cases. Although the significance of p16 ^INK4a expression in breast cancer is not fully understood, we have shown that p16^INK4a is strongly expressed in breast cancers with basal-like phenotype. Since it is known that p16^INK4a is associated with aggressive behavior in human carcinomas, these data suggest that p16^INK4a play a role in the poor prognosis of BLBC.     

Hormone receptor status and HER2/neu overexpression determined by automated immunostainer on routinely fixed cytologic specimens from breast carcinoma: correlation with histologic sections determinations and diagnostic pitfalls

Although fine-needle aspiration cytology is a routine procedure for the diagnosis of breast carcinoma, cytologic specimens have rarely been used for evaluation of hormone receptor status and HER2/neu overexpression. In order to compare the biological markers on cytology and on histology, routinely fixed smears of 110 primary breast carcinomas were immunostained for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR), and HER2/neu by automated immunostainer and the results were compared with the corresponding histologic sections. ER was expressed in 76 of 110 (69%) cases and PgR was expressed in 51 of 110 (46%). Overexpression of HER2/neu was observed in 30 of 110 (27%) cases. Concordance between cytology and histology was 98% for ER, 95% for PgR, and 100% for HER2/neu. There was no false positive result on smears. Diagnostic pitfalls in determination of hormone receptor status on smears included intratumoral heterogeneity and presence of mucin.     

基底细胞样型乳腺癌中CAIX的表达及临床意义

目的 探讨碳酸酐酶IX(carbonic anhydrase IX,CAIX)在基底细胞样型乳腺癌(basal-like breast carcinomas,BLBCs)中的表达,分析其与乳腺癌患者相关临床病理指标的关系.方法 应用免疫组化SP法检测CAIX在45例BLBCs、25例非基底细胞样型乳腺癌(non- basal-like breast carcinomas,non-BLBCs)和10例正常乳腺组织中的表达.结果 免疫组化检测结果显示,CAIX在BLBCs组织中的阳性表达率明显高于non-BLBCs和正常乳腺组织(P<0.05);BLBCs组织中CAIX的表达与肿瘤直径(P=0.001)、pTNM分期(P=0.014)及淋巴结转移(P=0.006)均呈正相关(P<0.05).结论 CAIX在BLBCs中高表达,提示其可能参与该型乳腺癌病程进展的重要分子;CAIX的表达与多项临床病理指标、尤其是淋巴结转移密切相关,提示其可作为预测BLBCs淋巴结转移及预后的指标.     

Medullary breast cancer is a predominantly triple-negative breast cancer – histopathological analysis and comparison with invasive ductal breast cancer

IntroductionMedullary breast cancer (MdBC) is an uncommon type of breast cancer representing 1–7% of all cases. It is characterized by the occurrence of many histopathological features associated with a high grade of malignancy.Material and methodsTwelve MdBCs chosen from a group of 1,122 women suffering from invasive breast cancer were analyzed. Histopathological examination and analysis of a basic molecular profile, i.e. estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR) and HER2 receptor expression, and their comparison with invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC), were performed.ResultsMdBC accounted for 1.07% of all analyzed invasive breast cancer patients. All patients were female, with an average age of 58.54 years. The MdBC group exhibited a larger median tumor diameter (2.05 vs. 1.89 cm), although ≥ T2 tumors comprised 42% vs. 51% for IDCs. Women without regional lymph node involvement (pN0) (83%) formed the largest group. There was a statistically significant difference in the presence of nodal involvement between the studied groups (p < 0.001). Based on the histological grade of malignancy, the majority of MdBC comprised grade II tumors (G2) (93%). In general, MdBC showed statistically higher histologic grade (G1-G3) than IDC (p = 0.003). The 5-year overall survival rate of MdBC patients was 91%. Most MdBCs (92%) were triple-negative, whereas the remaining 8% were HER2 positive.ConclusionsMdBC presented at a younger age than IDC, had a higher histological grade, larger median size and less frequent regional lymph node involvement. Most MdBCs were triple-negative, whereas IDCs were predominantly luminal. Despite numerous aggressive pathological features of MdBC, its clinical outcome and overall prognosis are favorable.     

Sebaceous carcinoma of the breast

Sebaceous carcinoma (SC) of the breast is a rare malignant tumor and only nine cases, including the present one, have been reported in the English-language literature. The present report describes a case of mammary SC in a 50-year-old Japanese woman. The tumor was gray–white on cut surface and separate from the skin and the nipple. Microscopically, lobules encircled by a fibrous envelope and cords or small cell nests in the stroma were noted. These two types of structures were composed of dark cells and clear foamy cells. The dark cells had large nuclei and amphophilic cytoplasm. The clear foamy cells had numerous lipid vacuoles, confirmed on immunostaining with anti-adipophilin antibody and electron microscopy. In the lobules the gradual transitions from basal dark cells to central clear foamy cells and comedo-like necrosis were observed. The tumor cells were positive on immunohistochemistry for cytokeratins (CAM5.2, AE1/AE3), Her2/neu and androgen receptor but negative for estrogen and progesterone receptors. This is the first case of an androgen receptor-positive mammary SC to be reported, and therefore contributes to the understanding of the clinicopathological features of SC of the breast.     

Correlation of pathological grade and tumor stage of urothelial carcinomas with CD109 expression

Bladder cancer is one of the most common malignant diseases. Since a high-rate of recurrence is a serious problem for early stage urothelial carcinomas, new strategies for the management of recurrent urothelial carcinomas have been explored. CD109 is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored glycoprotein and is expressed in various cancer tissues, mainly squamous cell carcinomas. CD109 negatively controls transforming growth factor (TGF)-β/Smad signaling in vitro. In this study, we analyzed the clinical significance of CD109 expression in bladder cancer using immunohistochemistry. Of 156 urothelial carcinoma tissues, 69.9% were positive for CD109, whereas CD109 was not expressed in seven normal bladder epithelia. CD109 expression was significantly higher in non-muscle-invasive (pTa+pT1) or low-grade (G1+G2) tumors than in muscle-invasive (pT2-4) or high-grade (G3) tumors, and was associated with cancer-specific survival. Simultaneous immunostaining of CD109 and phosphorylated Smad2 showed an inverse immunoreactivity relationship between the two, suggesting that CD109 inhibits TGF-β/Smad signaling in tumor tissues. Interestingly, CD109 was found to be highly expressed in the basal layer of non-invasive urothelial carcinomas, and the expression pattern was similar to that of CD44, a marker of cancer stem cells. These findings suggest that CD109 is involved in bladder tumorigenesis and is a potential target for cancer immunotherapy.     

实时荧光定量PCR方法检测人正常组织及癌组织中CD109蛋白的表达

目的CD109是最近克隆到的一种细胞表面抗原,为糖基化磷脂酰肌醇联结的糖蛋白,属于含硫酯的啦巨球蛋白家族成员,本研究的目的是探讨CD109基因在人正常组织及癌组织中的分布。方法使用实时荧光定量PER方法分析了CD109在人正常组织及癌组织中的表达。结果研究结果表明,该蛋白的mRNA丰度在睾丸组织中最高,而在其他组织中较低,在癌组织标本中检测到CD109表达水平上调。结论以上结果提示表达在细胞表面的CD109蛋白可能是治疗恶性肿瘤的一个潜在的分子靶点。     

PLK1在乳腺癌分子亚型中的表达及其与基底细胞样型乳腺癌的关系

目的:探讨乳腺癌各分子亚型中PLK1的表达及其与基底细胞样型乳腺癌的关系.方法:回顾性分析803例乳腺浸润性导管癌的临床病理资料,按照Nielsen标准将乳腺浸润性导管癌分成腺腔A型、腺腔B型、HER-2过表达型、基底细胞样型和普通乳腺样型.检测PLK1在5种不同乳腺癌亚型中的表达水平并分析其与基底细胞样型乳腺癌的关系.结果:PLK1在基底细胞样型、普通乳腺样型、HER-2过表达型、腺腔A型及腺腔B型乳腺癌中的阳性表达率分别为58.94%(56/95),39.39%(65/165),33.33%(22/66),17.91%(79/441)及5.56%(2/36).PLK1在ER阴性的乳腺癌分子亚型中的表达显著高于其在ER阳性的乳腺癌分子亚型中的表达,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05);PLK1的表达与ER呈负相关,与Ki-67表达呈正相关(P<0.01),与HER-2无显著相关性.ER阴性乳腺癌中,PLK1在基底细胞样型乳腺癌中的阳性表达率最高,显著高于其在HER-2过表达型及普通乳腺样型乳腺癌中的表达,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05).而HER-2过表达型与普通乳腺样型中相比,PLK1的表达差异无统计学意义(P=0.390).PLK1的表达与基底细胞样型乳腺癌的淋巴结转移及临床分期相关,而与肿瘤大小及患者年龄无关.结论:PLK1过表达可能与ER阴性的基底细胞样型乳腺癌关系更密切,并在基底细胞样型乳腺的浸润、转移中起重要作用.     

Estrogen and progesterone hormone receptor status in breast carcinoma: comparison of immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry

We evaluated the correlation between histologic and cytologic specimens in the determination of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status in breast carcinoma and investigated the causes of clinically significant discrepancies. We analyzed 70 immunoassays for ER and 60 for PR from 71 patients with breast carcinoma. Concordance between cytology and histology was 89% for ER and 63% for PR using scores from pathology reports. Concordance between cytology and histology was 98% for ER and 91% for PR using consensus scores (obtained after reevaluation by the team of pathologists). Thirty of 130 (23%) tests had clinically relevant discrepancies, 53% of which were caused by wrong interpretation of cytologic findings, 10% by wrong interpretation of histologic findings, 17% by sampling error and 20% were not available for reevaluation. Wrong interpretation of the results for ER and PR status in cytology was a far more frequent cause of clinically relevant discrepancies than sampling errors. The use of strict criteria is recommended.     

CD9 immunohistochemical staining of breast carcinoma: unlikely to provide useful prognostic information for routine use

AIMS: CD9, a cell membrane glycoprotein, is found in a variety of tumour cells and is believed to regulate cell motility and possibly cell growth. It has been reported that the absence of CD9 is associated with increased aggressiveness of breast carcinoma, but no detailed studies of the distribution of CD9 in normal and abnormal breast tissue are available. This investigation was aimed at studying the distribution of CD9 in a wide variety of breast biopsies including normal, benign, and malignant cases, and assessing its usefulness as a prognostic marker in breast cancer. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sections of 113 breast biopsies from female and male patients including 10 normal, 23 benign, and 80 malignant cases were examined. The monoclonal antibody CD9 (Novacastra Ltd, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK) was used with the avidin-biotin complex immunoperoxidase technique. The results were assessed semiquantitatively using a four scale system of 3+, 2+, 1+ and negative. All normal and benign epithelial cells were strongly stained (3+). In female breast carcinomas, 40% were 3+, 49% were 2+, and 11% were 1+. Both cases of male breast carcinomas scored 3+. For female breast cancers, the results were then correlated to tumour grade, the presence or absence of lymph node metastases, and oestrogen and progesterone receptor status. No significant statistical correlation was found with any of these parameters. We then examined 11 axillary lymph nodes with metastases from some of the above cases. Three of these cases had a CD9 score of 3+, seven were 2+, and one was 1+. The metastatic tumours in all 11 cases were strongly stained (3+). CONCLUSIONS: Immunostaining for CD9 is unlikely to provide any useful additional prognostic information for clinical purposes.     

Comparison of the expression of prognostic biomarkers between primary tumor and axillary lymph node metastases in breast cancer

The prognosis and prediction of axillary lymph node (ALN) metastases in breast cancer is traditionally based upon the biomarkers status of the primary tumor. Some retrospective studies showed significant discordance in receptor expression between primary and metastatic tumors. We aim to prospectively assess the incidence of discordant biomarkers status in primary tumor and ALN metastases and to evaluate the role of ALN biopsies for the reassessment of receptor status. Tissue arrays were constructed from 54 breast cancer patients with ALN metastases diagnosed. Arrays were immuno-stained to compare protein expression of four biomarkers including estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), HER2, and Ki67 by immunohistochemistry. The kappa value of consistency in the primary tumor and the metastatic lymph nodes were 0.465 for ER, 0.445 for PR, and 0.706 for HER2. Good consistency was shown for Ki67 expression in primary and metastases regions with T test. No significant difference is existed between primary tumor and ALN metastases. It is concluded that the good consistency is present for ER, PR, HER2 and Ki67 between the primary tumor and the metastatic lymph nodes, suggesting that ER, PR, HER2, or Ki67 status in primary tumors could reflect their status in ALN metastases.     

GABRP基因在基底样三阴乳腺癌中的差异表达

目的:探索GABRP基因在基底样三阴乳腺癌(basal-like Triple negative breast cancer,BLTNBC)中的表达,为临床提供预后诊断分子标志物.方法:通过生物信息学分析比较GABRP基因的表达;采用定量PCR方法检测GABRP基因在乳腺癌细胞系及104例乳腺癌石蜡样本中的差异表达,并采用相关性分析、卡方检验及Fisher精确概率法分析GABRP基因与细胞增殖、淋巴结转移、ER及HER-2基因表达的相关性.结果:生物信息学分析和定量PCR结果显示GABRP基因在三阴性乳腺癌(triple negative breast cancer,TNBC)及BLTNBC中显著性高表达(p＜0.05);在non-TNBC,TNBC,BLTNBC中,其表达与细胞增殖、HER-2表达无明显相关性(P＞0.05),而在BLTNBC中与淋巴结转移状态有明显相关性(P＜0.05),在non-TNBC巾与ER表达有明显相关性(P＜0.05).结论:GABRP基因可作为BLTNBC的有潜力的预后诊断分子标志物.     

The basal-like breast carcinoma phenotype is regulated by SLUG gene expression

Basal-like breast carcinoma is an aggressive form of breast cancer, characterized by the absence of oestrogen receptor and HER2 expression, the presence of cytokeratin 5 and epidermal growth factor receptor expression, and by the up-regulation of stem cell regulatory genes. We show here that tumour tissues expressing high levels of SLUG mRNA show a basal-like breast carcinoma phenotype and that such tumours also express high levels of stem cell-regulatory genes, ie CD133, Bmi1. Further, we show that stem/progenitor cells, isolated from ductal breast carcinoma and from normal mammary gland as mammospheres, express SLUG, CD133, and Bmi1 mRNA and show a phenotype similar to that of basal-like breast carcinoma. We also report that SLUG expression in tumour tissues correlates with that of the hypoxia survival gene carbonic anhydrase IX. In this regard, we report that the exposure of SLUG-negative/luminal-like MCF-7 cells to a hypoxic environment promotes the onset of the basal-like breast carcinoma phenotype, together with up-regulation of the SLUG gene, which in turn blunts oestrogen receptor-alpha and boosts carbonic anhydrase IX gene expression. Finally, we show that SLUG expression promotes the invasiveness of MCF-7 cells exposed to hypoxia and sustains the in vivo aggressiveness of hypoxia-selected, MCF-7-derived cells in xenografts. These data indicate that SLUG gene expression is part of a hypoxia-induced genetic programme which sets up a basal/stem cell-like, aggressive phenotype in breast cancer cells.     

High-level expression of CD109 is frequently detected in lung squamous cell carcinomas

CD109 is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored cell surface protein, which is a member of the alpha2-macroglobulin/C3, C4, C5 family of thioester-containing proteins. It has been reported that CD109 is expressed in a subset of hematopoietic cells, endothelial cells and several kinds of human tumors. Herein it is reported that the CD109 protein is preferentially expressed in lung squamous cell carcinomas compared with other types of lung carcinoma including adenocarcinomas, large cell carcinomas and small cell carcinomas. Immunohistochemical staining of surgically resected lung specimens using an anti-CD109 antibody detected CD109 expression in basal cells of bronchial and bronchiolar epithelia and myoepithelial cells of bronchial secretary glands, but not in bronchial and bronchiolar apical epithelial cells and alveolar epithelial cells. Furthermore, the CD109 immunoreactivity was observed in squamous cell carcinomas at a high frequency compared with other types of lung carcinoma. Although the detailed function of CD109 protein is unclear, these results suggest that CD109 expression may play a role in the development of lung squamous cell carcinoma.     

Histological and immunohistochemical study of estrogen and progesterone receptors in normal human breast tissue in adult age groups vulnerable to malignancy

Analysis of receptor status has become standard procedure for assessing breast cancer patients. Estrogen causes epithelial proliferation in breast tissue via the estrogen receptor (ER). The progesterone receptor (PR) is also regulated by the estrogen gene. Analyzing ER and PR together gives information regarding the likely response of carcinoma patients to hormonal therapy. The aim of the present study was to record the expression patterns of ER and PR in normal mammary tissue in different age groups to provide reference data to facilitate histological diagnosis. Breast tissues from the upper outer quadrant of each side of 27 adult female cadavers were examined after H & E staining. ER and PR were identified and examined by immunohistochemistry. The percentage area occupied by parenchyma relative to stromal tissue was calculated in different age groups and was about 4:6, 3.5:6.5, 3:7, 2:8, and 1.5:8.5 in the 3rd, 4th and 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th, and 10th decades of life, respectively. Both ER and PR were present in all age groups and the numbers of both receptors were maximal during the 4th decade. The distribution and staining patterns for both ER and PR were recorded in different age groups. The contiguous pattern of ER, which is considered pathognomonic of breast carcinoma, was not seen except in one case in the 6th decade. Moderately stained ER and PR receptor sites predominated throughout. The study of normal breast tissue of similar age might provide comparisons that will help histopathologists to make clinical diagnoses from breast biopsies. Clin. Anat. 29:729–737, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

CD99/MIC-2 surface protein expression in breast carcinomas

AIM: To evaluate the expression of CD99/MIC-2 surface protein in invasive breast carcinomas and demonstrate whether or not there is a relationship with tumour phenotype. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-five invasive breast carcinomas, including five metaplastic carcinomas, were stained with CD99 primary antibodies using standard protocols based on streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase method. Four out of five metaplastic carcinomas expressed CD99/MIC-2 protein, three of them were matrix-producing carcinomas. From the other 30 cases, only an invasive apocrine carcinoma was positive. There was no statistical correlation between CD99 expression and the parameters analysed (histological typing and grading, proliferative index and nodal status). CONCLUSIONS: CD99/MIC-2 is expressed in breast carcinomas, especially in the matrix-producing variant of metaplastic carcinomas, which impairs its use as a marker to differentiate metaplastic carcinomas from primary and metastatic sarcomas of the breast. It seems to have no prognostic implications. However, phenotype similarities with other chondromyxoid tumours that also express the protein, like mesenchymal chondrosarcomas, suggest a relationship between MIC-2 reactivity and morphological differentiation.     

Metaplastic breast carcinomas are basal-like tumours

AIMS: Recently, an immunohistochemical panel comprising antibodies against HER2, oestrogen receptor (ER), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and cytokeratin (CK) 5/6 was reported to identify basal-like breast carcinomas, as defined by cDNA microarrays. Our aim was to analyse a series of metaplastic breast carcinomas (MBCs) using this panel plus two other basal markers (CK14 and p63) and progesterone receptor (PR), to define how frequently MBCs show a basal-like immunophenotype. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sixty-five cases were retrieved from the pathology archives of the authors' institutions and reviewed by three of the authors. Immunohistochemistry with antibodies for HER2, ER, EGFR, CK5/6, CK14 and p63 was performed according to standard methods. All but six cases (91%) showed the typical immunoprofile of basal-like tumours (ER- and HER2-, EGFR+ and/or CK5/6+). When CK14 and p63 were added to the panel, two additional cases could be classified as basal-like. The majority of MBCs lacked PR, except 4/19 (21%) carcinomas with squamous metaplasia. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that MBCs show a basal-like phenotype, regardless of the type of metaplastic elements. Moreover, as these neoplasms frequently overexpress EGFR (57%), patients with MBC may benefit from treatment with anti-EGFR drugs.