Clinical utility of serum human epidermal receptor-2/neu detection in breast cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
In breast cancer, the HER-2/neu gene is amplified in 20-30 per cent of cases. The mechanism by which the amplification/overexpression occurs is not known. Elevated serum HER-2/neu levels have been shown to be associated with a poor clinical prognosis and decreased survival in early stage breast cancer patients, and thus might help in management of the disease. The present study was therefore to estimate the serum HER-2/neu levels in breast cancer patients and associate with other prognostic factors.


METHODS
Serum HER-2/neu levels were studied in 207 patients with cancer breast, 15 benign breast diseases (BBD) and 175 age-matched healthy controls. Patients' age, menopausal status, node and hormone receptor status were compared with serum HER-2/neu levels.


RESULTS
Serum HER-2/neu overexpression was associated with age, disease stage and positive nodal status but not with menopausal status. Serum HER-2/neu levels were negatively related with hormone receptor positivity.


CONCLUSIONS
HER-2/neu serum test could be done more frequently in women with breast cancer irrespective of the hormone receptor status, to suggest modifications in systemic adjuvant therapy, including possibly the use of Herceptin.
Thriveni
K
K
Departments of Biochemistry, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Dr. M.H. Marigowda Road, Bangalore 560029, India. trivenibhat19@yahoo.com
Deshmane
Vijayalakshmi
V
Bapsy
P P
PP
Krishnamoorthy
Lakshmi
L
Ramaswamy
Girija
G
D000367:Age Factors; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D016015:Logistic Models; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics
D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases