Welcome to the new version of CaltechAUTHORS. Login is currently restricted to library staff. If you notice any issues, please email coda@library.caltech.edu
Published December 2005 | public
Journal Article

N-cadherin Expression in Breast Cancer: Correlation with an Aggressive Histologic Variant – Invasive Micropapillary Carcinoma

Abstract

Upregulation of N-cadherin in epithelial tumor cells has been shown to contribute to the invasive/metastatic phenotype. It remains however to be determined whether N-cadherin is increased in human breast cancers with enhanced malignant potential. We examined a large number of invasive breast cancer specimens (n=114) for N- and E-cadherin. These specimens compared invasive duct carcinomas (IDCs) of varying histologic grades with an aggressive subtype, invasive micropapillary carcinoma of the breast (MPAP), which has a high propensity for lymphatic invasion and lymph node metastasis. Staining scores for N- and E-cadherin were compared between non-MPAP and MPAP IDCs, and between the invasive and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of each IDC using statistical analysis. We found that N-cadherin was expressed in 76% of MPAP and 52% of non-MPAP carcinomas, and E-cadherin in 57% of MPAP and 36% of non-MPAP tumors. More MPAP (25%) compared to non-MPAP (5%) tumors expressed both cadherins. Of the two cadherins, N-cadherin was significantly associated with MPAP tumors (p=0.033) compared to E-cad (p=0.171). Moreover, in the majority of tumors that were positive for N-cadherin, the staining scores were increased in the IDC relative to intraductal components, and this effect was more dramatic in the MPAP carcinomas. This difference for N-cadherin was greater than the corresponding difference for E-cadherin in the MPAP group (p=0.005), whereas such changes were not significant in the non-MPAP group (p=0.10). Thus, N-cadherin is associated with tumor aggressiveness and metastatic potential and may contribute to tumor progression.

Additional Information

© 2005 Springer. First Online: 25 October 2005. This manuscript was supported by a grant from the NIH (R01 CA90872) to R.B.H. and by the NIH (5 R24 CA 88282-04) to James Godbold. Portions of this work were presented at the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathologists Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC, March 2004. We thank greatly Drs. David Colman and Greg Phillips for help with reagents and discussions.

Additional details

Created:
August 19, 2023
Modified:
October 23, 2023