Profile of hMSH2 expression in breast tumors and lymph nodes: a preliminary study

D. Lira, T.R. Teodoro, M.A. da Silva Pinhal, F.L. Affonso Fonseca, F. de Sousa Gehrke, L.A. Azzalis, V.B. de Campos Junqueira, B. da Costa Aguiar Alves

Department of Oncology, ABC Medical School, Santo André, SP, Brazil. bcaalves@uol.com.br

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• Oncology

OBJECTIVE: The mismatch repair (MMR) genes play a central role for the onset of cancer. One of these genes is hMSH2. A differential hMSH2 protein expression has been detected in the mononuclear fraction of peripheral blood of patients with breast cancer when compared to healthy women. This work aims to evaluate the expression of hMSH2 in patients diagnosed with breast cancer undergoing treatment at various stages of the disease to verify its potential use as a prognostic marker.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Immunohistochemical expression of hMSH2 at different stages of breast cancer in 40 patients biopsy samples were analyzed.

RESULTS: hMSH2 has a considerable increased expression in all groups of patients with tumors, when compared to patients without tumors.

CONCLUSIONS: immunohistochemistry indeed can be a great tool for the diagnosis of breast cancer, as it is an easy and versatile technique.

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