Prognostic implications of HER-2 status in steroid receptor-positive, lymph node-negative breast carcinoma.
Patients with lymph node-negative breast carcinoma (LNNBC) and positive hormone receptor (HR) status during estrogen-based endocrine therapy have different prognoses. The contribution of HER-2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor-2) has not been extensively evaluated. We stained 230 LNNBCs for estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER and PR) and HER-2. HER-2 gene status was studied in 150 randomly selected tumors by chromogenic in situ hybridization and cases with discordant or nondefinitive results by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Patients with ER+ and/or PR+ tumors were treated with tamoxifen. We found positive expression of ER, PR, and HER-2 in 73.7%, 67%, and 27.8%, respectively, and HER-2 amplification in 18.0%. Poorer outcome was seen for patients with ER+ and/or PR+/HER-2 overexpressing tumors and as a trend for patients with HER-2 amplification. ER/PR and HER-2 expression showed an independent prognostic value. In LNNBCs with positive HR status, HER-2 overexpression and/or amplification confer an aggressive tumor phenotype, and this might be related to tamoxifen unresponsiveness.
Peiró
Gloria
G
Research Unit, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, Alicante, Spain.
Adrover
Encarna
E
Aranda
Francisco I
FI
Peiró
Francisca M
FM
Niveiro
Maria
M
Sánchez-Payá
José
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone