rss
J Clin Pathol 2007;60:1051-1056 doi:10.1136/jcp.2006.044354
  • Original article

Endothelin-1 expression correlates with atypical histological features in mammary phyllodes tumours

  1. Gary M Tse1,
  2. Benjaporn Chaiwun2,
  3. Kin-Mang Lau1,
  4. Richard Scolyer3,
  5. C Soon Lee3,
  6. Rooshdiya Z Karim3,
  7. Thomas C Putti4,
  8. Bonita K Law5,
  9. Philip C Lui1,
  10. Puay Hoon Tan6
  1. 1Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
  2. 2Department of Pathology, Chiang Mai University, Thailand
  3. 3Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, and Department of Anatomical Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
  4. 4Department of Pathology, National University Hospital, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  5. 5The Breast Center, Union Hospital, Hong Kong
  6. 6Department of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
  1. Correspondence to:
    Dr Gary M Tse
    Senior Medical Officer, Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China; garytse{at}cuhk.edu.hk
  • Accepted 6 November 2006
  • Published Online First 8 December 2006

Abstract

Background and Aims: Endothelin-1 expression is increased in infiltrating duct carcinoma and is associated with larger tumour size, higher histological grade and lymphovascular permeation. This has not been evaluated in phyllodes tumours, which are uncommon fibroepithelial lesions with potential for local recurrences or distant metastasis. While the grading of phyllodes tumours depends on a combination of histological parameters, prediction of their behaviour remains difficult.

Method: A large series of 461 phyllodes tumours (291 benign, 115 borderline malignant and 55 frankly malignant) were evaluated for endothelin-1 expression in both the epithelial cells and stromal cells by immunohistochemistry; results were correlated with the tumour grade.

Results: For benign phyllodes tumours, the epithelial staining of endothelin was negative, weak, moderate and strong in 6%, 26%, 15% and 53% of cases respectively; results were 4%, 18%, 19% and 59% respectively for borderline and 6%, 18%, 6% and 70% respectively for frankly malignant tumours. For the stromal staining, the negative, weak, moderate and strong staining was 32%, 19%, 18% and 31% respectively for benign phyllodes, 24%, 13%, 10% and 53% respectively for borderline and 8%, 16%, 17% and 59% respectively for frankly malignant tumours. There was correlation between epithelial and stromal staining, and the stromal staining correlated with histological features of stromal cellularity, stromal cell nuclear pleomorphism, margin status and stromal overgrowth.

Conclusion: These observations suggest a close relationship between the epithelial and stromal elements in phyllodes tumours; endothelin may play a significant role in the malignant progression of phyllodes tumours.

Footnotes

  • Published Online First 8 December 2006

  • Competing interests: None declared.

This Article

  1. Abstract
  2. Full text
  3. PDF
  4. All versions of this article:
    1. jcp.2006.044354v1
    2. 60/9/1051 most recent

Responses

  1. Submit a response
  2. No responses published

Register for free content

The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.