Expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor in primary breast cancer: Immunohistochemical analysis

• DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2004.09.005
• Publication Date: 2004-12-22T01:34:55Z
• Authors: Chikako Shimizu; Tadashi Hasegawa; Yoichi Tani; Fumiaki Takahashi; Masahiro Takeuchi; Toru Watanabe; Masashi Ando; Noriyuki Katsumata; Yasuhiro Fujiwara
• Keywords: Adult; Aged, 80 and over; Breast Neoplasms; Adenocarcinoma; Middle Aged; Immunohistochemistry; Disease-Free Survival; Receptor, IGF Type 1; 3. Good health; Survival Rate; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Biomarkers, Tumor; Humans; Female; Aged

Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) has been implicated in regulation in tumor growth. The results of previous studies performed by radioimmunoassay are conflicting, and the prognostic significance of IGF-1R expression in primary breast cancer is still controversial. IGF-1R expression was evaluated in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue of 210 primary breast cancer patients by using anti-IGF-1R antibody. The clinicopathologic variables and 5-year disease-free survival were studied, and their correlations between IGF-1R expressions were investigated. IGF-1R overexpression was observed in 43.8% of tumors. IGF-1R overexpression had no correlation with prognosis or with other clinicopathologic parameters, such as age, tumor size, nodal status, histologic grade, hormone receptor status, and human epidermal growth factor 2 status. Though its prognostic value in breast cancer is limited, immunohistochemical evaluation of IGF-1R by using this monoclonal antibody may be useful in translational research using archived material.