c-Kit and Cytokeratin 5/6 Immunohistochemical Investigations in Egyptian Human Breast Cancer
ABSTRACT
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous subgroup of breast cancer characterized by the lack of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expressions. A group of 25 breast cancer patients were included in the present study and previously diagnosed into TNBC and non-TNBC. Immunohistochemical identification of female hormones as well Cytokeratin5/6 and C-kit were done for those patients. Our study showed that, the incidence of TNBC was 40% (10/25) and Non –TNBC was 60%(15/25) and showed that CK5/6 with TNBC was positive (80.0%) 8/10 and Non –TNBC (93.3%.)14/15 and showed that c-KIT with TNBC was positive (80.0%) 8/10 and Non –TNBC (47.0%)7/15. Also the result showed the positivity of CK 5/6 and c-KIT in TNBC patients was (80.0%)8/10 which can be categorized as basal –like breast carcinoma. In conclusion cytokeratin 5/6 and C-kit may be used as a prognostic markers for basal-like breast carcinoma.
Keywords: Breast carcinomas, Triple negative carcinomas, Non- Triple negative carcinomas, Estrogen receptors, Progesterone receptors, HER2/neu, Basal-like, CK5/6, c-Kit.