Expression of Anaphase Promoting Complex (APC) and APC Regulatory Proteins in Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Associated with Paget´s Disease

Abstract

Background: Oncogene expression in Paget´s disease of the breast is not well known. To characterize invasive ductal carcinoma associated with Paget´s disease, we studied expression of anaphase promoting complex (APC) with its regulatory proteins.

Methods: Immunohistochemical stainings were done with 10 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma associated with Paget´s disease for APC, pituitary tumor transforming gene (PTTG), cyclin B1, p53, cyclin D1, and c-erbB-2. The expressions of these markers in Paget´s disease were compared with those in the associated with carcinoma.

results: APC, PTTG, cyclin B1, and c-erbB-2 were positive in all of the cases with both Paget´s disease and underlying carcinoma. p53 was expressed in Paget´s disease of 6 cases (60%) and in carcinoma of 7 cases (70%). Cyclin D1 was positive in Paget´s disease of 8 cases (80%) and in carcinoma of 9 cases (90%).

Conclusions: Breast carcinomas with Paget´s disease seem to be distinguished by the high expression of APC, cyclin B1, PTTG, c-erbB2, and cyclin D1 in contrast to breast cancers without Paget´s disease. Furthermore, the similar expression patterns of APC and APC regulatory proteins in both Paget´s disease and underlying breast cancer support the epidermotropic theory as its pathogenetic mechanism.