Calretinin expression as a risk biomarker for metastatic canine mammary carcinoma

Abstract

Malignant breast tumors are the most common tumors in humans and are associated with a poor prognosis. An accurate animal model of human mammary gland tumorigenesis is needed to test novel diagnosis and treatment strategies. Dogs represent a promising model since they develop such tumors spontaneously. In the present study, three immunomarkers, including calretinin, c-Kit (CD117) and placental alkaline phosphatase (Plap), were used and compared with each other, in relation to estrogen and progesterone receptors and HER2 (triple markers), with the intention of malignancy grading. Enhanced expression of calretinin and placental alkaline phosphatase, without immunoreaction to c-Kit in neoplastic cells, is related to high-grade malignancy. Out of 50 tumors, 31 were metastasized, 29 of which (93.5%) were moderately to strongly calretinin positive (P<0.05). However, the results for c-Kit - and Plap+ in metastatic tumors were not reproducible. It may be concluded that calretinin could be introduced as a determinant biomarker in the diagnosis of breast cancer metastasis.