Study of Breast Cancer with Basaloid Cell Features
Author Information
Author(s): Jones C, Nonni A V, Fulford L, Merrett S, Chaggar R, Eusebi V, Lakhani S R
Primary Institution: The Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research/UCL Breast Molecular Pathology Group, Royal Free & University College Medical School, UK
Hypothesis
Ductal carcinoma of the breast with basaloid/myoepithelial cell differentiation may have different characteristics and prognosis.
Conclusion
Grade III invasive ductal carcinomas contain a subset of tumours with specific morphological and cytogenetic characteristics, which may affect patient prognosis.
Supporting Evidence
- 2–18% of ductal carcinoma-No Special Type (NST) express basal cell keratin 14.
- Those tumours may have a different metastatic pattern and prognosis.
- 7 cases of ductal carcinoma-NST with a basal cell phenotype were all grade III tumours.
- These tumours showed a molecular cytogenetic profile similar to myoepithelial cell carcinomas.
Takeaway
Some breast cancers have special cells that might make them behave differently, and this study looked at those types to see how they are unique.
Methodology
Immunohistochemistry for cytokeratins 19 and 14 was performed on ductal carcinoma samples, followed by comparative genomic hybridization.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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