1- Histopathological investigation:
The paraffin section photomicrograph illustrated the histopathological changes of the studies groups. The normal breast tissue showed acini lined by epithelial cells, an intact myoepithelial cell layer attached the basement membrane of acini (Figure 1A). A mild adenosis and cyst formation with mild epithelial hyperplasia in the adjacent duct and intact myoepithelial cell layer in fibrocystic disease of the benign breast case (Figure 1B). The tumor cells of invasive ductal carcinoma cases have abundant eosinophlic cytoplasm and large moderately pleomorphic round to ovoid vesicular nuclei arranged in cords and some contain small nucleoli. Infiltrated tumor cells in desmoplastic stroma represented GII (Figure1C). The neoplastic growth formed of nests and tubules and hyperchromatic nuclei and largely pleomorphic vesicular nuclei were exhibiting mitotic activity in ductal epithelial cells with many pyknotic cells, as well as, many residual nuclei was seen in GIII (Figure 1D)
The histopathological diagnosis of studing cases found that the benign cases revealed as the majority (83%, 25/30) of fibroadenoma, while 17% (5/30) cases were represented with fibrocystic disease. At malignant cases, there was a majority of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) (98%, 59/60), while 2% (1/50) of the malignant cases were represented with invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). In addition, according to Scarf'-Bloom-Richardson histological grading system of breast cancer, the majority of the malignant cases diagnosed as grade II (45/60, 75%), grade III cases were represented by 22% (13/60) and the minority cases were grade I (2/60, 3%) of the malignant cases as in the (Table 1).
2- Clinicopathological parameters:
The age ranges of benign and malignant groups were 15-64 and 15-74 years with a mean ± SD of 36 ± 11 and 52 ± 10 years respectively. The data reported of the benign group cases 57% (17/30) at age range > 35-45 years versus of the malignant group cases 31.5% (19/60) at age ranges > 35-45 and > 45-55 years respectively. Neither of the benign cases were above 65 years nor of malignant cases under 25 years as shown in (Table 2)
According to the tumor size assessed according to TNM (Tumor, Node, Metastasis) staging system of breast cancer, there was 80% (24/30) of the benign cases were T2 (> 2-5 cm) versus 66% (27/45 grade II and 11/13 grade III) of the malignant cases were T2 (> 2-5 cm) as illustrated in the (Table 3). Whereas the percentage of positive vascular invasion (VI) was 98% (59/60) were distributed as in the (Table 4), as well as, Lymph Node Metastasis (LNM) was illustrated in the (Table 5). Also, Noticed the majority positive cases were represented (44/60, 3%) and free of lymph node metastasis cases were 16/60 (27%).
3- Semi-qualitative immunohistochemical staining:
Hormonal status of both estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER&PR|) used as a biological marker in the malignant cases were differentiated to malignant grade II &III and illustrated in (Table: 6&7) respectively. According to epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2\neu) expression, noticed that 53% (24/45) of IDC grade II were weak positive (-ve), while 38% (5/13) of IDC grade III were strong positive (3+), as shown in (Table: 8). As regard to GP88 immunostaining expression resulted a moderate positive expression (2+) in 71% (32/45) of grade II IDC and strong (3+) in 77% (10/13) of grade III IDC as illustrated in (Table:9)
4- Immunohistochemical staining results :
Immunostaining expression of HER2/nuw was detected as diffuse brown color detected in cell membrane of the ductal epithelial cells as shown in (Figure: 2 A,B.C.D,).
Immunostaining expression of GP88 was detected as diffuse, homogenous brown color detected in the cytoplasm and membrane of the ductal epithelial cells of the studied groups as shown in (Figure: 3 A,B.C.D,E,F) .
5- Immunostaining optical density (IOD)
A gray value detection of the binary evaluation at the 8-bit image of the stain density were quantitative digitally by pixel in the integrated region of optical density (ROD) as following:
a- HER2/neu
The mean and SD values of HER2/neu IOD for breast lesions illustrated the different ranges from 42. ±3.82, 63.±5.34, 143±5.49 and 169±4.46 as control, benign and IDC grade II and III were respectively. There was statistically significant difference between benign group and malignant one, as well as between the malignant grade II and III of IDC (p < 0.001), as shown (Figure:4)
b- GP88
The mean and SD values of GP88 IOD for control, benign and IDC grade II and III were 35 ± 3, 41 ± 4, 140 ± 8 and 162 ± 7 respectively. A significant difference was noticed between GP88 IOD of grade II and III IDC and GP88 IOD of both control and benign groups (p < 0.001), but there was no statistical significant difference between GP88 IOD of control and benign groups (p = 0.1) as shown (Figure : 5)
c- Correlation between GP88 IOD and histopathological parameters:
There was no statistical significant correlation between the GP88 IOD and patients' age (r= -.14, P = .28), ER status (r= -.09, P = .50), PR status (r= .06, P= .65) and HER2/neu status (r.22, P= .08) of the studied breast cancer cases, while highly statistical significant correlation was noticed between the GP88 IOD and tumor size (r= .354**, P= .006), tumor grade (r= .353**, P= .006) and LNM status (r.493**, P = .000) as shown in table (10).