Download PDF
Horm Metab Res 2003; 35(11/12): 794-801
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-814152
Original
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Expression of the Insulin-like Growth Factor-I Receptor in Primary Breast Cancer and Lymph Node Metastases: Correlations with Estrogen Receptors α and β

M.  Koda1 , S.  Sulkowski1 , C.  Garofalo2 , L.  Kanczuga-Koda1 , M.  Sulkowska1 , E.  Surmacz2
  • 1Department of Clinical Pathology, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland
  • 2Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA.
Further Information

Publication History

Received 9 September 2003

Accepted after Revision 13 October 2003

Publication Date:
07 January 2004 (online)

Also available at
   Buy Article Permissions and Reprints
Zoom Image

Corrected by:

Expression of the Insulin-like Growth Factor-I Receptor in Primary Breast Cancer and Lymph Node Metastases: Correlations with Estrogen Receptors α and β Horm Metab Res 2004; 36(01): 73
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-814356

Abstract

Numerous laboratory studies and some epidemiological data have suggested the involvement of the insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR) in breast cancer development and progression. However, data on IGF-IR expression in human tissues, including breast cancer sections, are limited and often inconsistent. We therefore examined by immunohistochemistry the expression of IGF-IR in primary tumors and breast cancer metastases to lymph nodes, and correlated IGF-IR positivity with estrogen receptor (ER) status and selected clinicopathological features. We found that 1) IGF-IR was expressed in primary tumors as well as in lymph node metastases, but the expression in primary tumors was more frequent (56 % vs. 44.4 %); 2) IGF-IR expression in primary tumors was associated with negative node status (p < 0.033); 3) in node-negative primary tumors, IGF-IR positively correlated with ERβ (p < 0.008; r = 0.538), but not with ERα, tumor size or grade; 4) both IGF-IR-positive and IGF-IR-negative primary tumors were found to produce IGF-IR-positive as well as IGF-IR-negative metastases; 5) in metastases, IGF-IR expression did not associate with ERα, ERβ or any of the studied pathobiological markers. The results suggest that IGF-IR could become a viable pharmaceutical target in breast cancer therapy, but such therapy should be based on IGF-IR assessment in primary tumor and metastasis in each potential patient.

Key words

Breast Cancer - Lymph Node Metastasis - Insulin-like Growth Factor-I receptor - Estrogen Receptor α - Estrogen Receptor β