title: Relationship between EGF-R, c-erbB-2 protein expression and Ki67 immunostaining in breast cancer and hormone sensitivity.
abstract: The expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R), c-erbB-2 protein product and Ki67 have been evaluated in 105 breast cancers of known responsiveness to endocrine therapy using immunohistochemistry. EGF-R staining was observed in 62 of the tumours and was significantly associated with elevated rates of cell proliferation (%Ki67 positive cells) and loss of hormone sensitivity. In contrast, c-erbB-2 expression was not correlated with cell proliferation rates and was less strongly related to hormone insensitivity. Subdivision of the EGF-R data according to c-erbB-2 measurements revealed an association between c-erbB-2 immunostaining and worsened patient outlook and hormone insensitivity in moderately EGF-R-positive tumours. c-erbB-2 immunostaining in highly EGF-R-positive tumours did not further contribute to the already poor prognosis of these patients. These data confirm the prognostic importance of EGF-R measurements in breast cancer and may infer a functional interaction between this protein and the c-erbB-2 protein product in the aberrant growth of a subset of breast tumours.
authors.affiliation: Breast Cancer Unit, University of Wales College of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff, U.K.
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: McClelland
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Finlay
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Eaton
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Gullick
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: I O
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Blamey
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D017273:Goserelin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008938:Mitosis; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011379:Prognosis; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D066246:ErbB Receptors; D017273:Goserelin; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D013629:Tamoxifen