title: Node-negative breast cancers with p53(-)/HER2-neu(-) status may identify women with very good prognosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The contribution of p53 and HER-2/neu to the management of node-negative breast cancer (NNBC) could be improved by combining their results.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied paraffin-embedded primary tumors for p53 (BP-53-12-1) (n=57) and HER2/neu (pAB1) (n=63) from NNBC patients. The results were grouped in a negative (p53(-)/neu(-)) versus a positive group (one or both overexpressed). The association between both groups (negative and positive) and clinicopathologic parameters, S-phase fraction and DNA ploidy, and patients' outcome, was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 28% of the tumors p53 was overexpressed, and HER2/neu in 11%. Sixty-five percent (37 out of 57) were p53(-)/neu(-), and 35% overexpressed one (31.5%) or both (3.5%) oncoproteins. Significant correlations were found between p53(-)/neu(-) tumors and age greater than 50 (p=0.003), S-phase fraction lower than 7 (p=0.03), and positive estrogen receptor contents (p=0.049). Actuarial 5-year disease-free and overall survival for p53(-)/neu(-) tumors were 88% and 97%, respectively, versus 50% and 66%, for tumors overexpressing one or both oncoproteins (p=0.004).
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebrón, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Albanell
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bellmunt
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Caragol
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bermejo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ribas
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carulla
authors.forename: O S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Gallego
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Español
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Solé Calvo
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*; D012306:Risk; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53