For metastasis Ki-67 positivity, tumour size and Tn-C expression in the invasion border were statistically significant, but Ki-67 positivity was the only independent prognostic factor.
These findings indicate that TN and FN co-expressed by cancer cells and stromal cells are probably involved in the intraductal extension and early invasion of cancer cells and in the remodelling of cancer stroma.
Tenascin-C is a mosaic, linear glycoprotein that is up-regulated during many normal and pathological processes involving either cell migration or tissue morphogenesis, such as invasion of malignant cells and wound healing.
Comparison with histo-pathological findings revealed positive relationships between the degree of mRNA expression of FN and TN-C and the depth of invasion as well as the frequency of metastasis to lymph nodes.