title: c-erbB-2 amplification in node-negative human breast cancer.
abstract: c-erbB-2 gene analysis by Southern and DNA dot blot methods was done in 66 tumor samples from patients with histologically node-negative breast cancer. The c-erbB-2 gene was amplified 2- to greater than 8-fold in 13 tumors (20%). None of 59 tumors that were examined by the Southern method showed c-erbB-2 gene rearrangement. c-erbB-2 amplification was analyzed in relation to other prognostic factors. The c-erbB-2 gene was amplified in five of 36 (14%) diploid and eight of 30 (27%) aneuploid tumors. Thirteen of 54 (24%) tumors with nuclear Grade 1 or 2 displayed c-erbB-2 amplification, whereas none of 12 tumors with nuclear Grade 3 did. No correlation was observed with estrogen receptor content, tumor size, histological type, or age of patients. The median follow-up date for these patients was 85+ mo. Of 13 patients whose tumors showed c-erbB-2 amplification, six patients (46%) developed recurrence, and five patients (38%) died of metastatic disease. In contrast, of 53 patients whose tumors did not show c-erbB-2 amplification, 15 patients (28%) developed recurrence, and seven patients (13%) died of disease. In conclusion, our results show that c-erbB-2 gene amplification was more frequent in aneuploid tumors and tumors with poor nuclear grade. c-erbB-2 amplification may be considered a possible prognostic factor in node-negative breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ro
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: el-Naggar
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Ro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blick
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Frye
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fraschini
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fritsche
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hortobagyi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases