Immunohistochemical expression of c-erbB-2 in human breast cancer by monoclonal antibody: correlation with lymph node and ER status.
c-erbB-2 Protein expression was investigated in a series of fifty primary breast cancers by means of a specific monoclonal antibody and immunocytochemistry. Specific staining was observed at the plasma membrane level of neoplastic cells, according to the reported localization of c-erbB-2 protein. Sixty-four percent of tumors scored positive, with a variable amount of stained cells. The rate of protein expression was found to exceed the reported gene amplification. No relationship was observed between c-erbB-2 protein staining and age, menopausal status or histologic subtypes. An inverse association was found between c'erbB-2 protein staining and estrogen receptor content of tumors, assayed by immunocytochemistry. A positive relationship was observed between c-erbB-2 protein expression and presence of axillary node metastasis. These findings suggest that c-erbB-2 protein expression is a marker of tumor aggressiveness and that its prognostic power deserves further investigation both in node-positive and node-negative patients.
Querzoli
P
P
Istituto di Anatomia, Università di Ferrara.
Marchetti
E
E
Fabris
G
G
Marzola
A
A
Ferretti
S
S
Iacobelli
S
S
Hazan
R
R
King
C R
CR
Nenci
I
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen