title: Immunohistochemical expression of c-erbB-2 in human breast cancer by monoclonal antibody: correlation with lymph node and ER status.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Anatomia, Università di Ferrara.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Querzoli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marchetti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fabris
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marzola
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferretti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iacobelli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hazan
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nenci
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen