Prognostic Value of Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT Slug) Markers in Ductal Carcinoma of the Breast

Objective: To evaluate the expression of the EMT markers, (cell adhesion molecules) and the transcription factor Slug in ductal breast carcinomas and to determine their relationships with clinicopathological features. Methods: Immunohistochemistry was used to examine, EMT and Slug protein expression in 50 ductal breast carcino-mas (40 cases invasive ductal carcinoma and 10 cases ductal carcinoma in situ, collected from Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt and Department of Pathology, National Cancer Institute Cairo University). Results: Low expression was significantly correlated with positive lymph node status, advanced stage, ER , PR negative tumors, poor five years survival, reccurence and distant metastasis. Overexpression of Slug was also significantly correlated with positive lymph node status, advanced stage, ER, PR negative tumors, poor five years survival, reccurence and distant metastasis.Loss of immune-expression was strongly associated with the presence of nuclear Slug. Conclusion: Slug overexpression and E-cadherin loss in breast carcinoma patients may become significant parameter of poor prognosis.