Coexpression of HER-2/neu and p53 in breast cancer identifies a subset with an aggressive biopathological profile.
OBJECTIVE
Amplification/overexpression of HER-2/neu and inactivation of p53 may be reliable parameters for the prognostic assessment of breast carcinomas. Several studies have addressed the prognostic significance of simultaneous expression of these gene abnormalities with controversial results.


METHODS
In this study we analyzed the biopathological profile of 45 breast cancers with both HER-2/neu and p53 overexpression and compared their features with those of 45 randomly selected cases negative for these gene products.


RESULTS
Tumors with HER-2/neu and p53 coexpression were found in younger patients, were more often multifocal and/or multicentric, were poorly differentiated in 55% of cases and lymph node-positive in 57%, showing a statistically significant difference compared to tumors with neither alteration (11% and 28%, respectively). Moreover, they were prevalently negative for estrogen (71% vs 22%) and progesterone receptors (78% vs 40%) and showed a higher proliferative activity.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data demonstrate that the coexpression of p53 and HER-2/neu is an additive effect in terms of genetic instability reflected by both morphological and biological adverse features; patients with such coexpression should be assigned to specific therapeutic and follow-up protocols.
Sidoni
Angelo
A
Institute of Pathologic Anatomy and Histology, Division of Cancer Research, University of Perugia, School of Medicine, Perugia, Italy. angelo.sidoni@med.unipg.it
Cavaliere
Antonio
A
Bellezza
Guido
G
Del Sordo
Rachele
R
Angiero
Francesca
F
Gori
Stefania
S
Rulli
Antonio
A
Bucciarelli
Emilio
E
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53