Retention of the expression of E-cadherin and catenins is associated with shorter survival in grade III ductal carcinoma of the breast

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Abstract
Many studies have investigated the relationship between the E-cadherin/catenin axis and breast cancer biology and yet, unlike the studies in other tumour systems, which have shown a relationship between down-regulation and poor survival, no clear association has emerged in breast. Since accumulating evidence suggests that ductal carcinoma of no special type (NST) represents a diverse group of biologies, this study has focused on grade III ductal carcinoma, in order to reduce the heterogeneity of the study population. A total of 470 breast tumours were studied. Consecutive sections were labelled with antibodies which recognize E-cadherin and the arm proteins with which it interacts: α-, β-, and γ-catenin. Membrane-bound and cytoplasmic E-cadherin and membrane-bound α-catenin expression were associated with a positive oestrogen receptor (ER) status, γ-catenin with a negative ER status, and, surprisingly, all three with poor survival. Taken together, these findings suggest that a conserved E-cadherin/catenin axis may play a part in determining adverse outcome in grade III breast carcinoma. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.