title: c-erb-B2 expression and response to treatment in metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: The frequency of c-erb-B2 expression, clinical correlates and treatment outcome was investigated in 92 patients with metastatic breast cancer. Positive c-erb-B2 immunostaining was found in 24/92 (26%) of tumours. There was a statistically significant inverse correlation between c-erb-B2 expression and ER status. There was also a significant inverse correlation between c-erb-B2 expression and tumour free interval. c-erb-B2 expression had no influence on response to treatment with tamoxifen among patients co-expressing both c-erb-B2 and estrogen receptor (ER). Following chemotherapy (CAF) treatment there was a trend to a lower response rate among c-erb-B2+ as compared to c-erb-B2- patients. However, more c-erb-B2+ patients had received prior adjuvant chemotherapy, and when this factor was included in a multivariate analysis only prior adjuvant chemotherapy treatment predicted for response to CAF chemotherapy for metastatic disease. Time to treatment failure (TTF) was significantly shorter among cerb B2+ as compared to c-erb-B2- patients. The current study suggests that the c-erb-B2 expression is found at similar frequency in metastatic as in primary breast cancer. Although c-erb-B2 expression did not predict for response to either hormonal therapy or to chemotherapy for metastatic disease, patients with c-erb-B2+ metastatic lesions appear to have a more aggressive clinical course.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Haematology and Medical Oncology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Bezwoda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018450:Disease Progression; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018734:Genes, erbB-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D004317:Doxorubicin; D005472:Fluorouracil; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases