
Original
Vimentin Expression in Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma NOS of Breast and its Association with Clinicopathological Characteristics
*Tahsin KN,1 Doly NJ,2 Rashid HO,3 Yeamin MA,4 Sultana S,5 Khan RR,6 Jeba R7
- Dr. Kazi Nafisa Tahsin, MD (Pathology), Medical Officer, Department of Histopathology, National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Dhaka, kazinafisa29@gmail.com. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2549-7606
- Dr. Nusrat Jahan Doly, MBBS, MD (Pathology), Medical Officer, Department of Histopathology, National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Dhaka, doctornusratjahan1990@gmail.com. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0440-0056
- Dr. Md. Abdullah Yeamin, MBBS, MD (Pathology), Lecturer, Jashore Medical College, Jashore, peyal4794@gmail.com. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9119-720X
- Dr. Harum Or Rashid, MBBS, MD (Pathology), Lecturer, Department of Pathology, Sirajganj Medical College, Sirajganj, drharunorrashidjewel@gmail.com. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6229-8041
- Dr. Shahana Sultana, MBBS, MD (Pathology), Assistant Professor, Green life Medical College, Dhaka, shahanashova935@gmail.com. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6533-3947
- Dr. Rizwana Rahman Khan, MBBS, MD (Pathology), Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka, drizwanasbmc@gmail.com. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9207-4063
- Dr. Ruksana Jeba, MBBS, MD (Pathology), Professor and Head, Department of Pathology, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka, ruksanajeba67@gmail.com. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3025-7309
*For correspondence
Abstract
Background: Despite advances in therapy, breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. The most common invasive subtype, often presents at advanced stages. Rapid progression and therapeutic resistance contribute to such poor outcomes. Vimentin, a cytoskeletal protein linked to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), is associated with aggressive tumor behavior, poor prognosis, and drug resistance, making it a potential prognostic and predictive marker for IDC.
Objectives: To evaluate vimentin expression in IDC-NOS of the breast and its association with clinicopathological features.
Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Pathology, Dhaka Medical College, from September 2022 to August 2024. Sixty histopathologically diagnosed IDC-NOS cases were examined. Immunohistochemistry for vimentin was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues at AI Khan Lab Ltd., Dhaka. Associations with clinicopathological features were analyzed; p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Vimentin expression was positive in 43.3% of cases. It was significantly higher in Grade 3 tumors (65.4%, p < 0.001) and in the triple-negative subtype (57.7%, p = 0.003). No significant association was observed with age, tumor size, stage, or lymphovascular invasion.
Conclusion: Vimentin expression showed significant associations with aggressive breast cancer phenotypes, particularly higher grade and TNBC subtype. These findings suggest that vimentin may serve as a useful supplementary prognostic marker to aid in risk stratification and management of breast cancer.
[Journal of Histopathology and Cytopathology, 2026 Jul; 10 (2):136-145]
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.69950/jhc.2026.10.2.8
