Centrosome Study In Breast Tumor Cells

Objectives: To examine the appearance of centrosome abnormalities in breast tumor cells, compare the deference of centrosome abnormalities between benign breast lesions and breast cancers, and assess the value of centrosomal analysis in breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis.Materials and methods: Randomly collecting breast tumors resected from patients in Cancer Hospital of CAMA from March to September, 2005. FNA (fine needle aspiration) was performed to obtain breast tumor cells. Using ThinPrep Processor to prepare slides. And then an immunoassay with an antibody against Y -tubulin was used to label centrosome. Centrosome examination and cytological diagnosis were made without knowing the histology diagnosis. Finally, according to the histology results, analyzed our data.Results:1. Totally, 100 FNA samples of breast tumors were collected, including 73 invasive carcinomas, 2 carcinomas in situ and 25 benign lesions. Among all investigated tumor cells, 4.33% cells displayed Centrosomal number abnormalities, 3.00% cells displayed Centrosomal shape or area abnormalities.2. 92% (23/25) benign breast lesions and 100% (75/75) breast cancers had cells with Centrosomal number abnormalities. While 92% (69/75) breast cancers and 12% (3/25) benign lesions had cells with Centrosomal shape or area abnormalities.3. Breast cancers showed a mean percentage of cells with centrosomal number abnormalities of 4.86% and a mean percentage of cells with centrosomal shape or area abnormalities of 3.98%, both were significantly higher than those in benign lesions with a mean percentage of 2.77% and 0.10% respectively.4. If the percentage of cells with centrosomal number abnormalities and centrosomal shape or area abnormalities were used as diagnostic markers for breast cancer, areas under ROC curves of those two markers were 0.76 and 0.94 respectively. Thus both markers had diagnostic value in statistics. Centrosomal shape or area abnormalities might be more useful in clinic. There were 9 cases that were diagnosed as suspicious carcinoma by cytology. Among them, 2 fibroadenomas hadn't cells with centrosomal shape or area abnormalities, 6 of 7 carcinomas had cells with centrosomal shape or area abnormalities.5. Centrosomal abnormlities in 2 carcinomas in situ and 73 invasive carcinomas showed no difference.6. Centrosomal abnormlities in 6 of 7 diploid invasive carcrinomas and aneuploid invasive carcinomas showed no difference.7. The percentage of cells with centrosomal shape or area abnormalities was significantly associated with HER2/neu overexpression (P<0.05) and negative ER (P <0.05). There was a borderline significant association between the percentage of...