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High focal adhesion kinase expression in invasive breast carcinomas is associated with an aggressive phenotype.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Lark, AL; Livasy, CA; Dressler, L; Moore, DT; Millikan, RC; Geradts, J; Iacocca, M; Cowan, D; Little, D; Craven, RJ; Cance, W
Published in: Mod Pathol
October 2005

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a protein tyrosine kinase expressed in invasive breast cancer that regulates antiapoptotic signaling. We have examined FAK expression by immunohistochemistry using anti-FAK 4.47 in breast tumor samples from a large population-based, case-control study of women participating in the University of North Carolina Breast Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE), Carolina Breast Cancer Study. In this population, 629 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections were stained for FAK and scored as high (3+ or 4+ intensity and > or = 90% positive cells) or otherwise. High FAK expression was associated with poor prognostic indicators including high mitotic index (>10 mitoses per 10 consecutive high-power fields), nuclear grade 3, architectural grade 3, estrogen and progesterone receptor negative, and HER-2/neu overexpressed using CB11 antibody. The association of high FAK expression with HER-2/neu overexpression lends further support that HER-2/neu and FAK collaborate to promote tumorigenesis. The presence of strong FAK expression in many high grade, estrogen- and progesterone-negative breast carcinomas indicates that FAK may be an attractive target for therapeutic intervention.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Mod Pathol

DOI

ISSN

0893-3952

Publication Date

October 2005

Volume

18

Issue

10

Start / End Page

1289 / 1294

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Pathology
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Middle Aged
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Humans
  • Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Female
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Breast Neoplasms
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
 

Citation

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Lark, A. L., Livasy, C. A., Dressler, L., Moore, D. T., Millikan, R. C., Geradts, J., … Cance, W. (2005). High focal adhesion kinase expression in invasive breast carcinomas is associated with an aggressive phenotype. Mod Pathol, 18(10), 1289–1294. https://doi.org/10.1038/modpathol.3800424
Lark, Amy L., Chad A. Livasy, Lynn Dressler, Dominic T. Moore, Robert C. Millikan, Joseph Geradts, Mary Iacocca, et al. “High focal adhesion kinase expression in invasive breast carcinomas is associated with an aggressive phenotype.Mod Pathol 18, no. 10 (October 2005): 1289–94. https://doi.org/10.1038/modpathol.3800424.
Lark AL, Livasy CA, Dressler L, Moore DT, Millikan RC, Geradts J, et al. High focal adhesion kinase expression in invasive breast carcinomas is associated with an aggressive phenotype. Mod Pathol. 2005 Oct;18(10):1289–94.
Lark, Amy L., et al. “High focal adhesion kinase expression in invasive breast carcinomas is associated with an aggressive phenotype.Mod Pathol, vol. 18, no. 10, Oct. 2005, pp. 1289–94. Pubmed, doi:10.1038/modpathol.3800424.
Lark AL, Livasy CA, Dressler L, Moore DT, Millikan RC, Geradts J, Iacocca M, Cowan D, Little D, Craven RJ, Cance W. High focal adhesion kinase expression in invasive breast carcinomas is associated with an aggressive phenotype. Mod Pathol. 2005 Oct;18(10):1289–1294.

Published In

Mod Pathol

DOI

ISSN

0893-3952

Publication Date

October 2005

Volume

18

Issue

10

Start / End Page

1289 / 1294

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Pathology
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Middle Aged
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Humans
  • Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Female
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Breast Neoplasms
  • Biomarkers, Tumor