H-ras gene amplification or mutation is not common in human primary breast cancer.
In a clinical study we found that patients with primary node negative breast cancer whose tumors showed high expression of H-ras had a significantly better prognosis than patients whose carcinomas did not. In the present study, these tissue specimens showed no H-ras gene mutation. The rate of gene amplification was 5% and did not correlate with the level of H-ras expression. These data indicate that increased expression and not amplification of the H-ras gene is valuable, if H-ras has a favorable role with respect to clinical outcome. This might be a general protective reaction as long as no mutation event has occurred in the H-ras gene.
Schondorf
T
T
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Cologne, D-50931 Cologne, Germany.
Andrack
A
A
Niederacher
D
D
Scharl
A
A
Becker
M
M
Engel
H
H
Gohring
U J
UJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation