Evaluation of Е-cadherin expression in invasive ductal breast cancer
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1
STATE NON-PROFIT ENTERPRISE «DANYLO HALYTSKY LVIV NATIONAL MEDICAL UNIVERSITY», LVIV, UKRAINE
2
WESTERN UKRAINIAN HISTOLOGICAL LABORATORY, LVIV, UKRAINE
3
INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CENTER LLC, KYIV, UKRAINE
Publication date: 2026-02-27
Wiadomości Lekarskie 2026;(2):255-264
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Aim: To evaluate E-cadherin expression in various clinical and pathological prognostic scenarios to determine its significance in the development of molecular
subtypes of invasive ductal breast cancer.
Materials and Methods: A comprehensive morphological and immunohistochemical study of 80 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) was conducted
to determine the molecular phenotype. The expression of E-cadherin, ER, PR receptors, c-erbB2, and Ki-67 was evaluated according to the manufacturer’s
standardized protocols using appropriate positive and negative controls. The degree of tumor malignancy was determined using the modified Scarff-Bloom-
Richardson system. Semi-quantitative assessment of E-cadherin expression was performed using the Qureshi scale. Pearson’s criterion was used for statistical
analysis. Differences were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05.
Results: Low E-cadherin expression was associated with stage 3, pT3, and G2/G3 grades of IDBC malignancy, confirming its unfavorable prognostic significanc
and correlation with the molecular profile. High E-cadherin expression was characteristic of ER-positive luminal A tumors, regardless of menopause, indicating
a regulatory role for ER expression. The low proliferative activity of luminal IDBC cells was explained by high E-cadherin expression, which increased adhesive
properties. Low E-cadherin expression is also a prognostic marker for TNBC.
Conclusions: E-cadherin is a potent tumor suppressor in breast cancer. Its role in disease progression is confirmed by the correlation between partial or complete
loss of E-cadherin expression and poor prognosis for patients.