Prognostic factors in human primary breast cancer: comparison of c-myc and HER2/neu amplification.
Amplification of oncogenes in primary tumours may have prognostic and/or therapeutic significance for patients with breast cancer. We have studied HER2/neu and c-myc amplification together with steroid receptors in human primary breast tumours and related the outcome with (relapse-free) survival. A strong inverse correlation was found between HER2/neu amplification and the presence of oestrogen and progesterone receptors. Actuarial 5-years survival showed that breast cancer patients with c-myc amplification in their primary tumours experience a shorter relapse-free survival, especially in node-negative and in receptor-positive tumours, whereas HER2/neu amplification may be of prognostic value for overall survival in receptor-negative tumours. Overall, in our hands, c-myc amplification appeared to be a more potent prognosticator than HER2/neu amplification in human primary breast cancer.
Division of Endocrine Oncology (Department of Medical Oncology), Dr Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
E M
EM
Berns
J A
JA
Foekens
W L
WL
van Putten
I L
IL
van Staveren
H
H
Portengen
W C
WC
de Koning
J G
JG
Klijn
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D016259:Genes, myc; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D016019:Survival Analysis
D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases