title: Use of a polyclonal antibody for the determination of the prognostic value of c-erbB-2 protein over-expression in human breast cancer.
abstract: A rabbit-specific polyclonal antibody was obtained raised to a synthetic peptide corresponding to the 1238-1255 C-terminal predicted sequence of the c-erbB-2 protein. This antibody was used in an immunohistochemical procedure to detect the c-erbB-2 protein on a series of 88 paraffin-embedded human breast carcinomas. In 14/88 cases (16%) the c-erbB-2 protein was found to be overexpressed (immunohistochemical score > 1) with a good concordance with the previously determined mRNA level (79/88 cases: 90%). Prognostic significance of c-erbB-2 protein overexpression as detected by immunohistochemistry was tested by the log-rank test. The relative risk of relapse is higher for patients with an immunohistochemical score > 1 (p = 0.00002). In a multivariate analysis of the c-erbB-2 immunohistochemical score was the only powerful parameter (p < 1 x 10(-3). In conclusion, this antibody seems to be a valuable tool in estimating the c-erbB-2 protein regarded in our series as a parameter able to identify a subgroup of operable breast cancer patients with a high risk of relapse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, IRSC, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Terrier
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mouriesse
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Loridon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gotteland
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: May-Levin
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Delarue
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004396:Coloring Agents; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016014:Linear Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000235:genetics; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D011817:Rabbits; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D004396:Coloring Agents; D000939:Epitopes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases