Prognostic significance of c-erbB-2 expression in node negative breast cancer.
The prognostic value of c-erbB-2 oncogene expression was studied retrospectively in a consecutive series of 230 node negative breast cancers, followed-up for at least 7 years after primary treatment. The expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein was determined on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue, using a monoclonal anti-c-erbB-2 antibody by the avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase method. Positive immunostaining was observed in 20.9% of cases, whereas strong diffuse positivity was recorded only in 8.7% of cases. C-erbB-2 gene product showed no association to T category or nuclear grade. A significant association of c-erbB-2 expression to prognosis was observed only for cases showing a strong diffuse immunostaining, but such an association was no longer statistically significant at multivariate analysis adjusting for other prognostic factors such as T category and nuclear grading. C-erbB-2 expression is of no value to predict the clinical course of node negative patients in the current practice.
Bianchi
S
S
University Institute of Anatomia e Istologia Patologica, Florence, Italy.
Paglierani
M
M
Zampi
G
G
Cardona
G
G
Cataliotti
L
L
Bonardi
R
R
Ciatto
S
S
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis
D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases