Table 3.
Immunohistochemical features of 123 cases of invasive mammary carcinomas according to axillary lymph node status
| IHC features | Mac-Met n (%) | Mic-Met n (%) | LNN n (%) | Total n (%) |
| ER * | ||||
| Positive | 31 (75.6) | 35 (85.4) | 34 (82.9) | 100 (81.3) |
| Negative | 10 (24.4) | 6 (14.6) | 7 (17.1) | 23 (18.7) |
| PR * | ||||
| Positive | 25 (61) | 29 (70.7) | 28 (68.3) | 82 (66.7) |
| Negative | 16 (39) | 12 (29.3) | 13 (31.7) | 41 (33.3) |
| Her2/neu score | ||||
| 0 and 1+ | 35 (85.4) | 32 (78) | 36 (87.8) | 103 (83.7) |
| 2+ | 1 (2.4) | 1 (2.4) | 1 (2.4) | 3 (2.4) |
| 3+ | 5 (12.2) | 8 (19.5) | 4 (9.8) | 17 (13.8) |
| P53 | ||||
| Positive | 17 (41.5) | 11 (26.8) | 10 (24.4) | 38 (30.9) |
| Negative | 24 (58.5) | 30 (73.2) | 31 (75.6) | 85 (69.1) |
| Ki67 score * | ||||
| <10% | 16 (39) | 23 (56.1) | 16 (39) | 55 (44.7) |
| 10–25% | 11 (26.8) | 9 (22) | 13 (31.7) | 33 (26.8) |
| 25–50% | 10 (24.4) | 6 (14.6) | 8 (19.5) | 24 (19.5) |
| >50% | 4 (9.8) | 3 (7.3) | 4 (9.8) | 11 (8.9) |
| E-cadherin score | ||||
| 0 (negative) | 2 (4.9) | 1 (2.4) | 2 (4.9) | 5 (4.1) |
| 1+ | 3 (7.3) | 3 (7.3) | 2 (4.9) | 8 (6.5) |
| 2+ | 0 (0) | 2 (4.9) | 1 (2.4) | 3 (2.4) |
| 3+ | 8 (19.5) | 6 (14.6) | 4 (9.8) | 18 (14.6) |
| 4+ | 28 (68.3) | 29 (70.7) | 32 (78) | 89 (72.4) |
| Total | 41 (100) | 41 (100) | 41 (100) | 123 (100) |
Mac-Met = macrometastases; Mic-Met = micrometastases; LNN = lymph node negative; n = number of cases; IHC = immunohistochemical; ER = estrogen receptor; PR = progesterone receptor
* Tumors with lymphatic invasion showed an increased Ki67 score (p = 0.00013), but lower estrogen (p = 0.0016) and progesterone (p = 0.00017) receptor scores. This correlation with lymphatic invasion was significant in H&E-sections and also in IHC-sections.
The other variables showed no statistical significant correlations with LVI identified either by H&E or IHC-sections.