Study of CK5/6 expression in invasive breast carcinomas and its utility as an independent prognostic marker.

Dr Preethi. S; Dr Divya Achutha Ail; Dr Geetha Prakash

Volume : VI, Issue : I, January - 2017

Study of CK5/6 expression in invasive breast carcinomas and its utility as an independent prognostic marker.

Dr Preethi. S, Dr Divya Achutha Ail, Dr Geetha Prakash

Abstract :

Background:

Breast carcinoma is currently the commonest invasive cancerin women. Subtyping of the east carcinoma based on molecular phenotype has highlighted the enormous heterogenicity of this disease. Molecular classification of east carcinoma commonly performed by immunohistochemistry has great impact on the prognostication and treatment strategy. CK5/6,a high molecular weight cytokeratin,is frequently used to categorize basal-like phenotype of east carcinoma. It also identifies the tumours with poor prognosis. The aim of the present study was to examine the expression of CK5/6 in randomly selected invasive east carcinoma cases and to study the correlation of CK5/6 expression and the clinicopathological prognostic markers with statistical analysis.

Methods and materials:

All the cases of invasive east carcinoma diagnosed by histopathology were prospectively collected over 2 years. The surgical specimen received were examined grossly and microscopically for histopathological tumour typing. Prognostic indicators like tumour size, presence of tumour necrosis, tumour staging and lymph node status were appropriately recorded.Immunohistochemistry for CK5/6 was performed on all the cases and graded. 0 and 1+ grade was considered as negative staining, 2+ and 3 + were considered as positive staining. The findings among CK5/6 positive cases and CK 5/6 negative cases were compared. The clinicopathological prognostic indicators were correlated statistically with CK5/6 positivity.

Results:

CK5/6 expression was seen in relatively younger patients with larger tumour size. CK5/6 positivity is associated with tumour necrosis, relative higher tumour grade and higher occurrence of lymphnode metastasis. There was statistically positive association between tumour necrosis, lymphnode metastasis and tumour grading with CK 5/6 positivity.