Klin Onkol 1998; 11(5): 151-157.
Summary: Background: The prognostic significance of c-erbB-2 (Her2/neu) oncoprotein in breast cancer remains controversial. To assess it we analyzed the expression of this oncoprotein in 145 breast carcinoma specimens. 19 dysplastic breast tissues and 19 fibroadenomas and/or phylloid tumors.
Material, methods: We used quantitative ELISA and semiquantitative immunohistochemistry for c-erbB-2 estimation. In 95 % of dysplastic tissue specimens, concentrations of c-erbB-2 were below 100 kU/g protein (cut-off). Dysplastic tissue specimens with a higher risk of breast cancer development showed a trend towards higher values of c-erbB-2. We found a concentration higher than cut-off in 37 % of malignant specimens (up to 1836 kU/g protein) and in 20 % of fibroadenoma/phylloid tumors (up to 133 kU/g protein). We observed a positive correlation between c-crbB-2 measured by quantitative ELISA and semiquantitative immunohistochemistry (p<0,0001). The disease-free interval in patients with breast cancer showed a negative correlation with cerbB-2 concentrations (30 progressions occurred during 30 to 126 months of follow-up). We found no correlation between c-erbB-2 oncoprotein and tumor grading, lymph node infiltration, tumor volume and estrogen/progesterone receptor concentrations.
Conclusions: We showed that c-crbB-2 is expressed to some extent in dysplastic tissue. Its concentrations in breast cancer tissue are higher and possess a negative prognostic value.
