title: HER-2/neu amplification predicts poor survival in node-positive breast cancer.
abstract: HER-2/neu protooncogene amplification and protein expression were analyzed with slot blot and Western blot techniques, respectively, in more than 300 invasive primary breast tumors of all stages. Amplification (2- greater than 30 copies) was found in 17% of these tumors and high expression was seen in 19%. There was a striking coincidence between gene amplification and high expression. Tumors associated with many involved axillary lymph nodes or with Stage IV disease were more often HER-2/neu amplified or overexpressed. Furthermore, gene alteration was strongly correlated with the absence of steroid receptors and with larger tumor size. High expression without gene amplification was seen in a minor subset of tumors of less aggressive character. Neither amplification nor overexpression was correlated with disease outcome for patients with negative axillary lymph nodes. For node-positive patients, however, HER-2/neu amplification was a significant predictor of early relapse and death (median follow-up = 45 months), and a similar trend, although not significant, existed for high gene expression. Multivariate analyses indicated that HER-2/neu alterations were not independent predictors of patient outcome.
authors.affiliation: Southern Swedish Breast Cancer Study Group, Department of Oncology, University Hospital, Lund.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borg
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Tandon
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sigurdsson
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernö
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Fuqua
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Killander
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: McGuire
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008593:Menopause; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology; D011379:Prognosis; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007106:Immune Sera; D010455:Peptides; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone