The c-erbB-2 protein in primary and metastatic breast carcinomas.
Material from 41 patients with primary breast carcinoma and lymph node metastases at the time of primary surgical intervention was immunostained for c-erbB-2 protein, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and estrogen receptors. Thirty of the primary breast carcinomas were of ductal type. Six were classified as infiltrating lobular carcinomas, 2 were apocrine, 1 was mucinous, and 1 was a tubular carcinoma. One tumor could not be classified as ductal or lobular by light microscopic examination alone. The number of lymph node metastases available varied from 1 to 14 per case (median, 3.9). Nine (22%) of the primary breast carcinomas (8 ductal and 1 apocrine) expressed c-erbB-2 protein and showed c-erbB-2 gene amplification; 12 expressed NSE immunoreactivity. None expressed both markers. Estrogen receptor immunoreactivity was present in 23 of the 41 cases, including 9 of the NSE-positive cases. C-erbB2- protein-positive metastases were present in 18 cases (44%), and in 13 cases all metastases were immunostained. In 5 cases the expression of c-erbB-2 protein varied from metastasis to metastasis. NSE immunoreactivity was expressed in 10 cases, and in 3 cases with minor NSE-positive cell populations the metastatic lesions expressed c-erbB-2 protein as well. All 9 primary breast carcinomas expressing c-erbB-2 protein had lymph node metastases with c-erbB-2-immunoreactive tumor cells. Eight of the 9 c-erbB-2 protein-negative primary tumors with metastases expressing c-erbB-2 protein showed no amplification of the c-erbB-2 gene.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Department of Pathology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo.
J M
JM
Nesland
L
L
Ottestad
A L
AL
Børresen
K E
KE
Tvedt
R
R
Holm
R
R
Heikkilä
K
K
Tveit
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases