Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast is a putative precursor of the majority of invasive breast cancers. The aim of this study was to determine the association of p53 and cerbB2 expression as well as hormonal receptor status with conventional pathologic parameters in a series of Chinese women with DCIS in Singapore. A cohort of 102 breast DCIS cases diagnosed at the Department of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, were histologically reviewed and classified pathologically. Immunohistochemistry for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), p53, cerbB2 and Ki67 was performed on paraffin sections cut from appropriate tissue blocks and analysed using a combination of immunostaining intensity and proportion of tumor cells stained. Follow-up was obtained from patient case notes and the Singapore Cancer Registry. Positive immunoexpression for ER, PR, p53 and cerbB2 was found in 76 (73%), 51 (49%), 45 (44%), and 78 (76%) cases respectively. No reactivity for Ki67 was seen in 36 (35%) cases; with low and high expression noted in 26 (26%) and 40 (39%) cases respectively. There was statistically significant association of the biological markers and hormonal receptor status with pathologic parameters. Recurrent disease was observed in 6 women, and its occurrence was not correlated with any biological or pathological features; though it appeared that cerbB2 immunoexpression predicted a longer time to recurrence (p=0.019, log-rank test). While biological markers were found to be associated with pathologic parameters in breast DCIS in this series of Chinese women, they do not appear to be useful in predicting the occurrence of recurrent disease. Immunoexpression for cerbB2, however, seems to correlate with a longer time to recurrence, which is an interesting finding that needs further investigation.

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