title: Serum epidermal growth factor is associated with prognosis and hormone receptor status in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer treated with first-line trastuzumab plus taxane chemotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a ligand for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) shares common signal pathways and forms a heterodimer with EGFR. In this study, we investigated the clinical and pathologic implications of serum EGF levels in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed serum EGF levels from baseline serum samples of consecutive patients with HER2-positive MBC who received first-line trastuzumab plus taxane chemotherapy and correlated them with treatment outcomes and pathologic features.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 50 women were analyzed. The median age was 47 years (range 27-72 years). Patients with high serum EGF levels (≥10.0 pg/mL) had significantly longer overall survival (47.0 months (95 % confidence interval (CI) 28.3-65.7 months) vs. 23.3 months (95 % CI 13.5-33.1 months); p = 0.009) with a tendency toward longer progression-free survival (p = 0.123). Serum EGF levels were not associated with hematologic or cardiac adverse events. Progesterone receptor-positive patients had significantly higher serum EGF levels than progesterone receptor-negative patients (24.3 pg/mL (range 9.5-69.0 pg/mL) vs. 12.3 pg/mL (range 0.0-59.5 pg/mL); p = 0.006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that high serum EGF levels may be associated with good prognosis in patients with HER2-positive MBC receiving trastuzumab plus taxane chemotherapy. In addition, serum EGF levels were associated with progesterone receptor positivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-744, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jee Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seock-Ah
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Im
authors.forename: Kyung-Hun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jin-Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tae-Yong
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sae-Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Yoon Kyung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Do-Youn
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Tae-You
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: In Ae
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D001952:Bridged-Ring Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001952:Bridged-Ring Compounds; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D043823:Taxoids; D000068878:Trastuzumab; C080625:taxane; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human