OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the nuclear grade, the expressions of p53 and c-erbB-2 proteins, and the estrogen receptors (ER) of 38 women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive carcinoma of the same breast. METHODS: the protein profile of 38 women was investigated in a descriptive and retrospective study, through the immune-histochemical technique. The cut-off limit for positive staining was chosen at 10% or more of positive cells for p53 and c-erbB-2 proteins and for ER. The analysis of the concordance between the expressions of proteins and the nuclear grade was done by the kappa coefficient, according to Landis and Koch's criteria. MacNemar's test was used to assess the differences between the two groups. RESULTS: there was a perfect concordance in the expression of p53 proteins (kappa coefficient = 1.00) and almost a perfect concordance for c-erbB-2 proteins, ER and nuclear grade (kappa coefficients = 0.84, 0.89 and 0.89) between in situ and invasive elements of the same tumor. CONCLUSION: there was no difference between the expressions of p53 and c-erbB-2 proteins, ER and nuclear grade in the DCIS and invasive carcinoma of the same breast.
Intraductal carcinoma; p-53 Protein; Estrogens; Oncogens
