The prevalence of E-Cadherin and dysadherin expression in breast carcinomas in Emam hospital, Sari, Iran (2005-2009)

Breast carcinoma is the most common malignant tumor and the leading cause of death among women. Previous experimental studies showed that increased expression of Dysadherin promotes cancer metastasis and reduced expression of Ë-cadherin was also associated with progression of tumors. The aim of this study was concurrent assessment of Ë- cadherin and Dysadherin expression in variable histologic subtypes of breast cancer and their relation with tumor progression (microscopic grade).

Dysadherin and Ë-cadherin expression was examined immunohistochemically in 70 invasive ductal carcinoma، 15 invasive lobular and 8 medullary carcinoma.

Ïn invasive ductal carcinoma، dysadherin expression was 21. 7%، 75. 6% and 100% in microsopic grades 1،2 and 3 respectively. These results for Ë-cadherin was 86. 9%، 70. 2% and 10%. So there was a significant meaning full correlation between expression of dysadherin and reduced expression of Ë-cadherin with microscopic grade. Ïnterestingly all invasive lobular carcinomas were dysadherin positive and Ë-cadherin negative. Âll medullary carcinomas (except one) expressed both Ë-cadherin and dysadherin. Çonclusion: Ït seems that positive dysadherin expression and negative Ë-cadherin expression play a role in progression of lobular and ductal type breast carcinomas.