Immunohistochemical study of CD74 biomarker in normal and malignant breast tissues.

Objective: Aim: To detect the role of CD74 expression in breast carcinoma as a predictive marker for identifying the biological behavior of malignancy in Iraqi women..

Patients and methods: Materials and Methods: The study used technique of immunohistochemistry for detection CD74 protein role in breast cancer, and its expression in breast cancer tissue samples. Samples were collected in Al-Najaf city in Iraq, from Al-Forat Al-Awsat Oncology Center. The study was achieved at the Laboratories of the Faculty of Science in the University of Kufa. Fifty samples of breast cancer tissue, and twenty controls benign tissue were included in the study. The study has investigated relationship between expression of biomarker with grade, age of patient and tumor size.

Results: Results: The study showed that the cytoplasmic expression of CD74 with more clear and intensive staining in the cytoplasm, and reported that CD74 positivity rate was 52%. A significant association between CD74 expression and grade and size of tumor, so CD74 can be considered as a biomarker for prediction of breast cancer in women. No association was found between CD74 expression and each of patients' age and node metastasis.

Conclusion: Conclusions: The study represents an important step in our region because there are a few studies about this topic; more efforts are required to approve the function of this biomarker.