title: Genetic analysis of HER-2/neu gene amplification in paraffin embedded tumour tissue in women with breast cancer.
abstract: In recent years several novel prognostic determinants of breast cancer have been identified, including HER-2/neu. The oncogene called HER-2/neu or c-erbB-2 located at 17q21 encodes a 185-kD transmembrane glycoprotein, p185. The HER-2/neu gene is frequently overexpressed in human breast cancers as a result of gene amplification and/or elevated transcription. In this study we investigated the association between the presence of HER-2/neu gene ampliflcation and appearance and/or progression of breast cancer. Paraffin embedded tumour tissue was obtained from 82 women with breast cancer. Blood samples from age matched healthy women served as control (n = 50). The amplification of HER-2/neu gene was determined by PCR amplification using appropriate primers. The amplification of HER-2/neu gene was significantly higher in women with breast cancer as compared with control (P < 0.05). Additionally, there were differences in the amplification status between node-positive and node-negative breast cancer patients. The results suggest that the presence of amplification of HER-2/neu gene may be linked with the appearance and/or progression of breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Institute of Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital, Lódź.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zadrozny
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Smolarz
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Romanowicz-Makowska
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kozłowska
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kulig
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D018734:Genes, erbB-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017698:Postmenopause; D017697:Premenopause; D011379:Prognosis