DETECTION OF EPITHELIAL CADHERIN IMMUNOEXPRESSION AMONG SUDANESE FEMALES WITH BREAST CANCER

Mohammed Abdelgader Elsheikh Mohammed*, Ameera Al-Haj Abu-Algassme Al-Ameen, Doaa Suliman Ibrahim Elfaki, Abrar Al-Khazeen, Sara Haroun Mohammed and Esra Muhammad Khamis

ABSTRACT

Background: Breast cancer continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality among Sudanese female population due to lack of education and efficient screening programs. Different parameters have been investigated to predict the prognosis in breast cancer; but still far from optimistic. E-cadherin is a novel prognostic marker which is a calcium-dependent epithelial cell adhesion molecule. Its loss has been associated with metastases, thereby plays a major role in histological grading of the cancer. The prognostic value of E-cadherin in breast cancer has been studied for years, yet results remain controversial. Aim: This study aimed to detect immunoexpression of E-cadherin in breast cancer tissues, and also to correlate expression of E-cadherin with tumor grade and patients age and to evaluate the prognostic and metastatic values of E- cadherin in breast cancer. Materials and methods: This was a descriptive cross sectional study conducted in Khartoum state-Sudan during period from December to July 2018. Forty three formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues were included in this study; 39 tissues from patients with invasive ductal carcinoma and 4 tissues with invasive lobular carcinoma, were subjected to detect immunoexpression of E-cadherin in breast cancer tissues. Results: E-cadherin was lost in 79.1% expressed in 20.9% of cases (N=43). 82.1% of cases with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) were showed negative expression (=39), 50% of cases with ILC were showed negative expression. E-cadherin (score zero and one) was observed in tumors with higher grades, E-cadherin (score zero and one) was more frequently observed in tumors with positive lymph node metastasis and vice versa. Conclusion: E-cadherin was lost in the majority of tissues, also was lost gradually with the progression of tumors and metastasis, there was statistically significance different with tumor grades but not with metastasis.

Keywords: E-cadherin, Breast cancer, IDC, ILC, TMA, Sudan.