Possible Association of CD۶۸ Positive Macrophages with Some other Prognostic Factors (ki۶۷, ER, PR, Her۲ neu) in Primary Breast Cancer and Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis

Background: Breast cancer is formed of a neoplastic component (epithelial) and a non-neoplastic component (stroma). Stromal- stromal and tumor- stromal interactions have been shown in the regulation of cancer cell growth, metastatic capacity and outcome of treatment. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are a component of tumor stroma reactionsand are considered as an important component of breast cancer tumor tissue which approximately form ۵۰ % to ۸۰ % of tumor tissue.In this study, the frequency of CD۶۸ positive cells in association with other factors such as age, tumor size, ER, PR, Ki-۶۷, Her۲-neu receptors, stage and grade in invasive carcinoma tissues were morphologically and statistically evaluated. The frequency of CD۶۸ was also discussed in relation to the number of involved lymph nodes. Method: A total of ۵۰ invasive breast cancer patients with and without axillary lymph nodes involvement were studied. IHC staining for CD۶۸ and Ki-۶۷ markers was performed. For each tumor, ۵ fields with different density of CD۶۸ were counted under ۴۰۰x by optical microscopy and the average of the five fields was taken as the percentage. Patients were divided into the two groups of low infiltration and high infiltration based on the percentage of CD۶۸.By the same way, patients were divided into the two groups of low infiltration and high infiltration based on Ki۶۷ percentage. Results: CD۶۸ positive cells had significant correlation with ER negative and higher Ki۶۷. No significant correlation was found between CD۶۸ positive cells and the number of involved lymph nodes, age, size, HER۲neu, PR, stage and grade. Conclusion: It seems that the presence of CD۶۸ -positive macrophages in invasive breast cancers and nearby lymph nodes is associated with a worse prognosis.

کلیدواژه ها:

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) ، CD۶۸ ، Ki۶۷ ، breast cancer