Abstract
We have examined by immunohistochemistry the ability of breast carcinomas to produce pepsinogen C, an aspartyl proteinase usually involved in the digestion of proteins in the stomach. A total of 113 out of 245 breast tumours (46%) were positive for pepsinogen C immunostaining. There was a significant association between pepsinogen C and oestrogen receptors with proteinase levels higher (HSCORE) in oestrogen receptor positive tumours than in oestrogen receptor negative. There was also a significant association between pepsinogen C and histological grade, pepsinogen C levels being higher in well and moderately differentiated breast carcinomas than in poorly differentiated tumours. On the basis of these results, we suggest that pepsinogen C may be useful as a marker of good prognosis in breast cancer.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 24 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $10.79 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Diez-Itza, I., Merino, A., Tolivia, J. et al. Expression of pepsinogen C in human breast tumours and correlation with clinicopathologic parameters. Br J Cancer 68, 637–640 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1993.399
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1993.399
This article is cited by
-
Pepsinogen C expression, regulation and its relationship with cancer
Cancer Cell International (2017)
-
Effects of common germline genetic variation in cell cycle control genes on breast cancer survival: results from a population-based cohort
Breast Cancer Research (2008)
-
Transcription factor SOX2 up-regulates stomach-specific pepsinogen A gene expression
Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology (2007)
-
Differential gene-expression profiles associated with gastric adenoma
British Journal of Cancer (2004)
-
Prostate specific antigen — a new constituent of breast cyst fluid
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment (1996)