Breast Cancer Research and Treatment

, Volume 33, Issue 2, pp 137–145 | Cite as

Cathepsin D in primary breast carcinoma: Adverse prognosis is associated with expression of cathepsin D in stromal cells

  • A. E. M. A. O'Donoghue
  • D. N. Poller
  • J. A. Bell
  • M. H. Galea
  • C. W. Elston
  • R. W. Blamey
  • I. O. Ellis
Report

Summary

The immunohistochemical expression of the aspartyl protease enzyme cathepsin D was examined in a consecutive series of 103 primary operable breast carcinomas with the polyclonal antibody NCL-CDp. Expression of cathepsin D was identified within the epithelial and stromal components of all tumours examined. No significant associations of increased cathepsin D expression in the epithelial tumour component with conventional prognostic indices such as tumour size, grade, lymph node stage, or patient survival were identified. However, significant associations of increased stromal cathepsin D expression and high tumour grade,χ2 = 11.40 (df = 2), p = 0.003; increased tendency to local recurrence,χ2 = 6.87 (df = 1), p = 0.009; regional recurrence,χ2 = 7.44 (df = 1), p = 0.006; poorer disease free survival,χ2 = 14.9 (df = 1), p = 0.0001; and poorer overall patient survival,χ2 = 6.90 (df = 1), p = 0.0086, were identified. Cathepsin D expression is present in all breast tumours. Stromal cathepsin D expression is a neglected immunohistochemical prognostic parameter which could explain some of the previous apparently conflicting reports concerning the effect on patient prognosis of biochemical (i.e. total) and immunohistochemical estimations of cathepsin D in breast cancers.

Key words

breast carcinoma tumor stroma prognostic factor immunohistochemistry metastasis macrophages cathepsin D survival 
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Copyright information

© Kluwer Academic Publishers 1995

Authors and Affiliations

  • A. E. M. A. O'Donoghue
    • 1
  • D. N. Poller
    • 1
  • J. A. Bell
    • 2
  • M. H. Galea
    • 1
  • C. W. Elston
    • 1
  • R. W. Blamey
    • 2
  • I. O. Ellis
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of HistopathologyCity HospitalNottinghamUnited Kingdom
  2. 2.University Department of SurgeryCity HospitalNottinghamUnited Kingdom

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