EXPRESSION AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF CD_(44v6) IN BREAST CANCER

Objective:To investigate the expression and clinical significance of CD 44v6 in breast cancer.Methods:We studied each expression of CD 44v6 ,and the relationship between each expression and clinico pathological factors in human breast cancer by immunohisto chemistry using anti CD 44s and anti CD 44v6 monoclonal antibodies in 64 female breast cancer specimens and 5 normal tissue specimens.Results:In normal breast tissues,luminal epithelial cells were negative for CD 44v6 investigated in contrast to myoepithelial cells strong staining.CD 44v6 expression in tissue sections was showed to be significantly related with lymph node status, ER, PR( P 0.001 and P 0.05 respectively). Patients with CD 44v6 negative tumors had higher five year survival rate than that of those with CD 44v6 positive tumors( P 0.05). No significant associations were found between the expression of CD 44v6 and patients′age, menopausal status, tumor size,TNM stage,histology and histological grading.Conclusion:CD 44v6 expression may play important role in infiltration and metastasis of human breast cancer and may be as a prognostic marker.