Correlation of c-erbB-2 gene amplification and protein expression in human breast carcinoma with nodal status and nuclear grading.
Fifty-one primary human breast tumors were analyzed for amplification of the c-erbB-2 protooncogene. Thirteen (25%) of the DNA samples contained multiple gene copies. Paraffin-embedded tumor sections, available from 47 of the cases, were stained with a c-erbB-2 specific antiserum. Eighty-three % (10 of 12) of the tumors containing amplified c-erbB-2 gene copies stained positively with the c-erbB-2 specific antiserum (P = 0.03). Thirteen tumors containing single copy c-erbB-2 sequences also stained positively with the antiserum. This suggests that mechanisms other than gene amplification may lead to elevated levels of c-erbB-2 protein. Finally, there was a statistically significant correlation between c-erbB-2 protein expression and parameters used in breast cancer prognosis. Positive staining was associated with positive nodal status of the patient (P = 0.02) and with tumors showing a poor nuclear grade (P = 0.02). This is the first study showing that a determination of the level of c-erbB-2 protein in paraffin-embedded tumor sections may have prognostic value for the course of human breast cancer.
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis
D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen