Correlation of HER-2/neu protein overexpression with other prognostic and predictive factors in invasive ductal breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
The objective of our study was to investigate the association between Her-2/neu status and other clinicopathological characteristics of ductal breast carcinoma.


METHODS
A total of 120 cases of breast carcinoma were included in this study. The immunohistochemical staining for HER-2/neu, hormone receptors, p53 and Ki-67 were evaluated.


RESULTS
HER-2/neu protein overexpression was present in 4 out of 63 T1 lesions, in 13 out of 44 T2 lesions, in 3 out of 7 T3 lesions, and in 3 out of 6 T4 lesions. Protein overexpression was found in 10 out of 21 grade III tumors and 13 out of 72 grade II tumors. Overexpression was not detected in grade I tumors. Of the 23 Her-2/Neu-positive cases, ER- and PR-negative status was detected in 61% and 69%, respectively. Her-2 protein overexpression was seen in 23 out of 93 high Ki-67 tumors, whereas overexpression was not detected in low Ki-67 cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Statistically significant correlation was found between HER-2/neu protein overexpression and large tumour size, high histological grade, ER and PR negativity, and high Ki-67 proliferative index.
Ivkovic-Kapicl
Tatjana
T
Department of Pathology, Institute of Oncology Sremska Kamenica, Vojvodina, Serbia. kapicl@Eunet.yu
Knezevic-Usaj
Slavica
S
Djilas-Ivanovic
Dragana
D
Panjkovic
Milana
M
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human