Cyclin D1 overexpression associates with favourable prognostic factors in invasive breast carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Strong evidence implicates cyclin D1 in human breast cancer. Nevertheless, the prognostic value of cyclin D1 overexpression in breast cancer is still controversial. This work aims to assess the predictive value of cyclin D1 immunohistochemical expression in invasive breast carcinomas and evaluate its association with clinicopathological parameters, in addition to hormone receptor status and Her2/neu immunohistochemical expression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on 71 cases of invasive breast carcinoma selected according to the availability of clinical data and paraffin-embedded tissue specimens. Immunohistochemistry was performed for estrogen receptors (ER); progesterone receptors (PR); Her2/neu and cyclin D1. Cyclin D1 expression was assessed and compared to the patients' age, tumor histology, grade, nodal status, tumor size and ER; PR; Her2/neu immunostaining results. RESULTS: Cyclin D1 nuclear expression was detected in 35% of invasive breast carcinomas. There were statistically significant associations between the cyclin D1 and younger age, small tumor size, negative nodal status, well differentiated and lobular types of breast cancer and estrogen receptor positivity. Cyclin D1 had no association with progesterone receptor or Her2/neu. CONCLUSION: Cyclin D1 immunohistochemical expression associates strongly with the approved favourable prognostic factors in primary breast carcinoma, suggesting a favourable predictive value of cyclin D1.