ErbB-2 oncoprotein overexpression in breast carcinoma: inverse correlation with biochemically- and immunohistochemically-determined hormone receptors.
The relationship between erbB-2 oncoprotein overexpression and hormone receptors in breast cancer is controversial. Of 320 infiltrating carcinomas, 75 (23%) showed membranous positivity for erbB-2 protein using CB-11 antibody, with 31 (9.7%) strongly positive. Estrogen and progesterone receptors, determined by both biochemical and immunohistochemical assays, were negative more often in strongly erbB-2 positive tumors, or were positive at lower amounts, than in 56 tumors devoid of CB-11 staining. Strong erbB-2 positivity also correlated with lower patient age, higher histopathologic tumor grade, and higher S phase fraction, but not with tumor size, lymph node involvement, or DNA aneuploidy. Thirty-three lobular carcinomas showed strong erbB-2 positivity as frequently as the overall group (9.1%). Cytoplasmic CB-11 positivity without membrane positivity, thought not to correlate with true erbB-2 positivity, was observed in 189 (59%) tumors with a slight (1-2 +) reaction in 124 (39%) tumors and a moderate-to-strong (3-4 +) reaction in 65 (20%) tumors. Moderate-to-strong cytoplasmic positivity correlated with higher histopathologic grade and negativity for immunohistochemical, but not biochemical, hormone receptors. CB-11 cytoplasmic positivity may have biological significance.
Keshgegian
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Department of Pathology, Bryn Mawr Hospital, PA, USA.
D000367:Age Factors; D000782:Aneuploidy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D016196:S Phase
D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone