Prognostic relevance of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) detected in breast cancer tissues by immunohistochemistry.

The function of different growth factors in the development and progression of malignant tumors and the role of cytotoxic cytokines in the host response generated against neoplasms have been recently studied. Anti-TGF-alpha and anti-TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody families have been developed and characterized previously by our laboratory. Libraries of anti-TGF-alpha and anti-TNF-alpha monoclonal antibodies were selected for equal immunoreactivity both in native (frozen) and in formaldehyde fixed, paraffin embedded histological sections. No differences were found between native and fixed samples demonstrated in 10 cases in the present prospective study. Retrospective investigation was performed in 35 histopathological specimens of breast cancer patients detailed clinically and observed during 5 years after the surgical treatment. Correlation between TGF-alpha and/or TNF-alpha expression and clinical staging--TNM score, lymph node metastasis, tumor recurrence and survival time--was analyzed. According to our present study, the TGF-alpha positive patients had worse clinical prognosis than the TNF-alpha positive and double positive cases during long term observation.