The Wnt pathway, epithelial-stromal interactions, and malignant progression in phyllodes tumours

• Published in: The Journal of pathology 2002-04, Vol.196 (4), p.437-444
• Main Authors: Sawyer, Elinor J., Hanby, Andrew M., Rowan, Andrew J., Gillett, Cheryl E., Thomas, Rachel E., Poulsom, Richard, Lakhani, Sunil R., Ellis, Ian O., Ellis, Paul, Tomlinson, Ian P. M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: APC; beta Catenin; Biological and medical sciences; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; cyclin D1; Cyclin D1 - metabolism; Cytoskeletal Proteins - metabolism; Disease Progression; epithelial-stromal interactions; Epithelium - pathology; Female; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Loss of Heterozygosity; Mammary gland diseases; Medical sciences; Neoplasm Proteins - metabolism; phyllodes; Phyllodes Tumor - metabolism; Phyllodes Tumor - pathology; Proto-Oncogene Proteins - metabolism; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Neoplasm - genetics; Stromal Cells - pathology; Trans-Activators; Tumors; Wnt; Wnt Proteins; Wnt2 Protein; Zebrafish Proteins; β-catenin
• ISSN: 0022-3417; 1096-9896
• DOI: 10.1002/path.1067

In a previous study of phyllodes tumours, it has been shown that both the stroma and the epithelium can exhibit distinct molecular changes, suggesting that both are part of the neoplastic process. In view of this finding, it was decided to study stromal–epithelial interactions in these tumours by examining the Wnt–APC–β‐catenin pathway. β‐catenin and cyclin D1 immunohistochemistry was performed on 119 phyllodes tumours. Eighty‐six (72%) showed stromal nuclear β‐catenin localization and in 57% the staining was moderate or strong; however, of the eight malignant tumours in the series, seven showed absent or weak nuclear staining (p