title: Overexpression of HER2/neu as a Prognostic Value in Iranian Women With Early Stage Breast Cancer; A Single Institute Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with early stage breast cancer with same treatment strategy can have markedly different outcomes. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2/nue) gene amplification or the subsequent overexpression of protein has been proved to be associated with patient's outcome and response to anthracyclins-based regimens.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study assessed prognostic value of HER2/nue marker in patients with early stage breast cancer who received adjuvant chemotherapy with anthracyclins-based regimens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty tissue samples from patients with primary breast cancer of moderate risk receiving sequential adjuvant chemotherapy with anthracyclins-based regimens were assessed to evaluate HER2/nue gene status (quantified by Immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization) retrospectively. Besides, correlation of HER2/neu with patients' characteristics and outcome was studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HER2/neu amplification was identified in 19 (38%) of 50 patients. No significant difference regarding HER2/neu status was seen in clinic pathological characteristics of patients. Although Progression Free Survival (PFS) was shorter in HER2 overexpressed group, but uni/multivariate analysis adjusted for HER2 overexpression, nodal involvement, hormone receptor status, age and tumor size revealed no significant predictive and/or prognostic value for HER2 regarding PFS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study on a limited number of patients treated with adjutant anthracyclins-based regimens, revealed that HER2/neu is not a unique strong predictor for outcome, thus according to combination of HER2/neu status and other clinical factors, it is necessary to distinguish patients at high risk of recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Chronic Respiratory Disease Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Hanifeh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mirtavoos Mahyari
authors.affiliation: Hematology and Medical Oncology, Chronic Respiratory Disease Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khosravi
authors.affiliation: Tehran Medical Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Zeinab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mirtavoos Mahyari
authors.affiliation: Mycobacteriology Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Esfahani Monfared
authors.affiliation: North Tehran Branch, Azad University of Tehran, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Negin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khosravi
keywords: Biological Markers; Breast Neoplasms; Oncogenes