Tumour Budding and MMP-2 Expression in Breast Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
EC25-EC29
Correspondence
Dr Amira Mohamed Bassam,
25 L-Hadayek EL-Ahram, Giza, Egypt.
E-mail: amira.bassam@hotmail.com
Introduction: Breast cancer is a major cause of cancer death among females. Tumour buds are clusters of undifferentiated malignant cells (one cell to less than or equal to five cells) at the invasive front of a tumour. They are believed to be the basis of tumour progression and metastasis. Over expression of MMP-2 {an Extracellular Matrix (ECM) proteolytic enzyme} is considered important for tumour invasion and metastasis.
Aim: This study is designed to evaluate tumour budding and expression of MMP-2 in breast invasive ductal carcinoma.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 61 cases of female breast invasive ductal carcinoma. Cases were obtained from the Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt and a private laboratory during the period from June 2015 until September 2016. Tumour budding detection using pan cytokeratin and expression of MMP-2 were evaluated immunohistochemically in 61 cases of female breast invasive ductal carcinoma. MMP-2 expression was evaluated in both neoplastic cells and accompanying stromal component.
Results: Significant positive correlations were found between tumour budding and ill defined borders, positive lymph node metastasis and low mitotic count. There were statistically significant positive correlations between expression of MMP-2 in invasive tumour and its expression in both in situ and stromal components. Significant positive correlations were found between expression of MMP-2 in tumour stromal cells and expression of MMP-2 in the in situ component and infiltrated resection margins. When budding was combined with MMP-2 expression in tumour cells; there were significant correlations with Oestrogen Receptor (ER) expression and MMP-2 expression in the in situ component and tumour stroma, and when combined with expression of MMP-2 in tumour stroma; there were significant correlations with expression of MMP-2 in invasive tumour and infiltrated resection margin.
Conclusion: Tumour budding might help in assigning subsequent treatment strategies in early breast cancer as in colorectal cancer. MMP-2 expression is seen in the in situ breast cancer and subsequent invasive components and the surrounding stroma, which points to its crucial role in tumour invasiveness and subsequent growth.