title: Clinical relevance of soluble c-erbB-2 for patients with metastatic breast cancer predicting the response to second-line hormone or chemotherapy.
abstract: Concentrations of soluble c-erbB-2 were determined in the sera of 64 patients with distant metastasis from advanced breast cancer receiving second-line hormone or chemotherapy in comparison to 35 breast cancer patients without detectable recurrent disease and 17 healthy blood donors. The sera of non-metastatic breast cancer patients contained s-erbB-2 concentrations similar to those of healthy blood donors. Patients with distant metastasis from advanced breast cancer had significantly higher values of s-erbB-2 in comparison to patients with non-disseminated disease (mean: 59.6 vs. 11.6 U/ml; p = 0.022). A significant correlation was observed between s-erbB-2 serum levels and serum LDH concentrations (p < 0.001), levels of alkaline phosphatase (p < 0.001), and the presence of hepatic metastasis (p = 0.001). Time to tumor progression was significantly shorter in patients with s-erbB-2 levels above 40 U/ml (mean: 23.4 vs. 56.7 months; p = 0.002). Furthermore, breast cancer patients with hepatic metastasis and those with elevated s-erbB-2 serum levels above 40 U/ml had limited response to hormone or chemotherapy. Non-responders had significantly higher s-erbB-2 levels (mean: 270.3, range: 42-500 U/ml;) compared with the responder group (mean: 23.1, range: 0-149 U/ml; p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis indicated that elevated s-erbB-2 serum levels above 40 U/ml independently predicted an unfavorable response to second-line hormone or chemotherapy in patients with advanced metastatic breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: GSF-National Research Center for Environment and Health, Klinikum Grosshadern, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Classen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kopp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Possinger
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weidenhagen
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Eiermann
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wilmanns
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000556:secondary*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D018450:Disease Progression; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple / Q000235:genetics*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D018734:Genes, erbB-2; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000556:secondary*; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D008727:Methotrexate; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases