[Immunohistochemical study on the expression of c-erbB2 oncoprotein in breast tumors].
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between oncoprotein c-erbB2 over-expression and prognosis of primary breast tumor patients, and find if it can be used as a prognostic indicator.


METHODS
Eighty-five cases of paraffin-embedded specimens were used for immunohistochemical study.


RESULTS
Over-expression of c-erbB2 was observed in none of the 7 benign breast tumors. Twenty-three out of 78 cases of breast cancer showed over-expression with a positive rate of 29.4%. Over-expressed c-erbB2 oncoprotein was not detected in 80% of patients with negative lymph node. In clinical stage III patients, 71% of them over-expressed c-erbB2. The expression of c-erbB2 and estrogen receptor(ER) was inversely correlated in 67% of breast cancer patients. Oncoprotein c-erbB2 over-expression had no correlation with lymph node status(P > 0.05), but was closely correlated to clinical staging(P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with over-expression of c-erbB2 oncoprotein showed poor prognosis. The c-erbB2 may be used for predicting the prognosis of breast cancer patients.
Zhang
Z
Z
Cancer Institute(Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing.
Xu
G
G
Liu
S
S
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000096:biosynthesis
D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen