The presence of a fibrotic focus in invasive breast carcinoma correlates with the expression of carbonic anhydrase IX and is a marker of hypoxia and poor prognosis

Abstract

The value of the fibrotic focus (FF) as a marker of intra-tumoral hypoxia in invasive breast carcinoma was assessed by studying its relationship with the expression of the hypoxia-induced carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX), angiogenesis indices and prognosis. CA IX expression was immunohistochemically detected in 2 independent study groups, totaling 184 patients, and correlated with tumor characteristics, angiogenesis related parameters and patient outcome by univariate analysis. CA IX immunostaining scores in carcinoma cells and in tumoral fibroblasts were significantly higher in expansively growing tumors (p = 0.0001 and p < 10-4, respectively), containing an FF (p = 0.0004 and p < 10-4) and sh..