Expression of vimentin in breast carcinoma, its correlation with Ki67 and other histopathological parameters.

CONTEXT: Vimentin is a mesenchymal marker, known to express in some epithelial carcinomas. AIMS: 1. To find out the expression of vimentin in infiltrating ductal carcinoma of breast (not otherwise specified), 2. To find out the correlation between expression of vimentin and prognostic markers such as tumor size, tumor grade, lymph node status, proliferation index (measured by Ki 67), and Nottingham prognostic index (NPI).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study was done at Department of Pathology; 50 cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma (NOS) were studied for tumor grade; immunohistochemistry was done using antibodies against vimentin and Ki 67. Percentages of positive cells were documented. An immunoscore was also calculated for vimentin. Vimentin expression was correlated with tumor size, lymph node status, Nottingham prognostic index, and Ki 67. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: statistical correlation was done using Pearson's chi-square test. A P value less than 0.01 was considered significant.
RESULTS: Vimentin expression was seen in 18% of cases. Its expression correlated with high tumor grade and high growth fraction (P value < 0.01). It did not correlate with lymph node status, tumor size, and NPI.
CONCLUSIONS: Increased vimentin expression is associated with bad prognostic factors. Immunohistochemistry with vimentin may be helpful in knowing the prognosis in cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma of breast (NOS).