The Association of Co-expression of CD44v4/MMP-9 with Different Nodal Status in High-Grade Breast Carcinoma Patients
Voranuch Thanakit MD*, Pichet Sampatanukul MD*, Preecha Ruangvejvorachai*, Somboon Keelawat MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University
Background : Breast carcinoma is one of the most common tumors in female patients, and its metastasis is a
major cause of death. An experimental model has recently found the association of CD44 with MMP-9 that
facilitates tumor cell invasion and metastasis.
Materials and Methods : The CD44v4 and MMP-9 were performed on tissue in paraffin blocks of 50 cases of
high-grade breast carcinoma with node positive and 50 cases with node negative.
Results : Increased expression of MMP-9(60%) significantly observed in high-grade breast carcinoma
patients with node positive (p = 0.004), whereas CD44v4 displays no significant difference between the two
groups (p-value = 0.81). Significant co-expression of CD44v4+/MMP-9+ (46%) was observed and corre-
lated with node-positive patients whereas the CD44v4+/MMP-9- (54%) express in node-negative patient
(p-value = 0.01).
Conclusion : The solely expression of CD44v4 does not associate with node status. MMP-9 plays an important
role to enhance breast carcinoma cell invasion and associates with lymph node metastasis. The combined
expression of CD44v4 (overexpression) and derangement of MMP-9 expression was significantly associated
with nodal status.
Keywords : Breast carcinoma, CD44v4, MMP-9, Lymph node status
