[Association between the survival time and high-expression of EGFR and HER-2 in breast cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between the survival time and the high-expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and human epidermal receptor 2 (HER2) in breast cancer patients, and assess the feasibility of using the two markers either alone or in combination for predicting the prognosis of the patients.


METHODS
Breast cancer samples were obtained from 185 patients and measured for the expressions of EGFR and HER-2 by way of immunohistochemistry, and 120 patients (64.9%) were followed up and their survival time recorded. Sixty-five patients (35.1%) failed to be followed for various reasons.


RESULTS
Of the 120 patients followed up, death occurred in 28 (15%). Positive HER2 expression was detected in 57.8% and EGFR expression in 40.5% of the all the samples examined. The over-expression of either HER2 or EGFR was in inverse correlation with the survival time (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively), and the over-expression of both related to the survival time in similar manner (P<0.05 and P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The high expression of HER2 or/and EGFR suggests a short survival time and an unfavorable prognosis.
Zhang
Jun-yi
JY
Oncology Center, Nanfang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. zhangjunyi@csco.org.cn
Mai
Guo-feng
GF
Zheng
Hang
H
Luo
Rong-cheng
RC
Song
Hai-zhu
HZ
Miao
Jing-xia
JX
Ji
Chen-yang
CY
Ding
Yan-qing
YQ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*
D066246:ErbB Receptors; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases