title: int-2 and c-erbB-2 gene amplification detected in 70 frozen human breast carcinomas by quantitative polymerase chain reaction.
abstract: Gene amplification is a common mechanism of proto-oncogene activation and contributes to tumor progression. Analysis of such genetic alterations is relevant to our understanding of tumor genetics and can provide prognostic information for the patients. A rapid, non-radioactive approach based on qdPCR and fluorescent DNA technique was applied for determination of int-2 and c-erbB2 gene amplification and correlated with other prognostic factors in 70 breast cancer samples. ER and PgR were analysed by immunohistochemistry. The mixed template assay showed 96% concordance between calculated and measured gene copy number. int-2 gene and c-erbB2 amplification were both found in 24% of the tumors. The amplification did not correlate with any of the other prognostic factors. 8% of the tumors showed amplification of both genes without significant correlations to any of the other parameters. The fd-PCR assay is a valuable tool for determination of amplification of int-2 and c-erbB2 genes. Therefore, more detailed information about individual tumour biology and outcome may be acquired by this routine assay and probably provide prognostic impact.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Heinrich-Heine Universität, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: H X
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Niederacher
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Dominik
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kuschel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dall
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Schnürch
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Beckmann
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D051518:Fibroblast Growth Factor 3; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D005615:Freezing; D018734:Genes, erbB-2; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes
chemical_list: C496444:FGF3 protein, human; D051518:Fibroblast Growth Factor 3; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors