title: Prognostic role of c-met expression in breast cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatocyte growth factor plays an important role in tumor growth, metastasis and angiogenesis. C-met is HGF's high affinity receptor.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to assess the correlations between c-met expression and clinic-pathological factors in breast cancer tissues. Furthermore, the purpose of the study was to evaluate the prognostic value of the hepatocyte growth factor receptor (HGFR, c-met) expressions in homogenous group of breast cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tumor samples were collected from 302 patients with breast carcinoma treated with primary surgery. We have assessed the percentage of tumor cells with c-met expression, the intensity of reaction and the ratio of these two factors-immunoreactivity according to the Remmele score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We have observed no correlations between HGFR immunoreactivities and clinical parameters (tumor size, grade, axillary lymph node status, age). In 5-year observation we have found prognostic value of assessing c-met immunoreactivity in primary tumor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study has revealed prognostic value of c-met. Unlike in other authors' studies, our patients' group is very homogenous which might contribute to obtained results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland ; Lower Silesia Oncology Center, Poland.
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gisterek
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland ; Lower Silesia Oncology Center, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewelina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lata
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Halon
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland ; Lower Silesia Oncology Center, Poland.
authors.forename: Rafal
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matkowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland ; Lower Silesia Oncology Center, Poland.
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szelachowska
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics, and Mechanics, University of Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Przemyslaw
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Biecek
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland ; Lower Silesia Oncology Center, Poland.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kornafel
keywords: Breast cancer; Prognostic factor; c-met