Expression of P-cadherin, but not E-cadherin or N-cadherin, relates to pathological and functional differentiation of breast carcinomas

A Kovács MD^a, J Dhillon MD^b, RA Walker MD^b

^aDept. of Pathology, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden, ^bBreast Cancer Research Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom

110 invasive and in-situ breast carcinomas were examined using immunohistochemistry for the presence, extent and localisation of P-, N- and E-cadherin, the findings related to type, grade, node status, oestrogen and progesterone receptor and epidermal growth factor receptor. P-cadherin was detected in 40% of invasive carcinomas, N-cadherin in 30% and E-cadherin in 81%. There was a highly significant correlation between the presence of P-cadherin and high grade, lack of oestrogen receptor and the presence of epidermal growth factor receptor for the invasive carcinomas, but not tumour size or node status. No correlations were found for E-cadherin and N-cadherin in relation to size, grade, node status and receptors. E-cadherin was found in all ductal carcinoma in situ, P-cadherin in a proportion of high grade and N-cadherin in a mixture of grades. P-cadherin but not E- or N- cadherin expression in breast carcinomas shows a strong correlation with higher grade (poorer differentiation), lack of oestrogen receptor and presence of epidermal growth factor receptor and its expression may aid in the further subdivision of high grade carcinomas.

Paper presented at the International Symposium on Predictive Oncology and Intervention Strategies; Nice, France; February 7 - 10, 2004; in oral session 993 (Molecular pathology - Part II).