title: Epidermal growth factor receptor status in early stage breast cancer is associated with cellular proliferation but not cross-talk.
abstract: The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a therapeutic target in a number of settings in solid malignancies, but its role in breast cancer has remained unclear and controversial. In 810 primary breast cancers derived from patients suitable for cytotoxic chemotherapy, EGFR was prospectively measured and interactions with tumour and clinical correlates were tested to observe whether postulated cross-talk mechanisms are likely to modulate breast cancer metastasis and proliferation. A minority (79 tumours, 9.8%) were EGFR positive; in a multivariate analysis the likelihood of being EGFR positive was significantly increased for patients with grade 3 disease, compared with grade 1 (OR 15.6; 95% CI 2 to 122, p=0.0001), and for oestrogen receptor-negative status compared with positive (OR 24.1; 95% CI 12.7 to 46.00, p=0.0001). EGFR expression may play a role in breast cancer proliferation, but appears unlikely to modify tumour pathology via postulated mechanisms of oestrogen receptor/EGFR-mediated cross-talk.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Oncology, Surgery and Histopathology, Imperial College, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK. j.stebbing@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stebbing
authors.forename: Arun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thiyagarajan
authors.forename: Veena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Surendrakumar
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krell
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Szydlo
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Peston
authors.forename: Jacqueline S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: R Charles
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Coombes
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shousha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary*; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020239:Receptor Cross-Talk / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors