Apoptosis in Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast |
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Authors: | Abelardo Moreno MD Agnès Figueras Belén Lloveras MD Agustín Escobedo MD Elvira Griera Angels Sierra MD and Angels Fabra MD |
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Institution: | Department of Pathology, Ciutat Sanitaria de Bellvitge,;Department of Oncology, Institut Catalàd'Oncologia, and;Department of Cancer i Metastasis, Institut de Recerca Oncológica, Barcelona, Spain |
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Abstract: | Abstract: Programmed cell death (apoptosis) may play a role in tumor development and progression. The importance of apoptosis dysregulations in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and its relationships with p53 mutations and expression of bcl-2 has received little attention in the literature. In a series of 58 DCIS patients, we evaluated the number of apoptotic cells by the TUNEL technique in subgroups of DCIS and correlated it with immunohistochemical expression of hormone receptors, c- erb B-2, p53, bcl-2, and Ki-67 (MIB-1) and DNA content measured by image cytometry. High apoptotic index (greater than 3%) was related to high tumor grade, negative hormone receptors, c- erb B-2 overexpression, aneuploidy and lack of bcl-2 immunohistochemical stain. Apoptosis was not related to p53 or proliferative index. The findings are similar to those found in infiltrating breast cancer. |
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Keywords: | apoptosis breast cancer ductal carcinoma in situ immunohistochemistry TUNEL technique |
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