Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Immunohistochemical expression of epidermal growth factor receptor in breast cancer

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Breast Cancer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Molecular-targeting drugs able to treat breast cancer expressing epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) would be clinically valuable. The aim of the current study was to determine the further significance of immunohistochemical expression of EGFR in breast cancer.

Methods

The immunohistochemical expression of EGFR was examined in 37 women with breast cancer who had been treated with surgical resection. Relationship of EGFR expression and clinicopathological characteristics was investigated.

Results

EGFR expression proved to be comparatively more frequent among triple-negative (estrogen receptor negative, progesterone receptor negative, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative) breast cancers (P = 0.067).

Conclusions

Knowledge of a patient’s immunohistochemical EGFR expression, which could be one of the key molecular findings related to molecular-targeting therapy, might be useful information to treat triple-negative breast cancer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

EGFR:

Epidermal growth factor receptor

TNBC:

Triple negative breast cancer

TBS:

Tris-buffered saline

References

  1. Guillamo JS, de Boüard S, Valable S, Marteau L, Leuraud P, Marie Y, et al. Molecular mechanisms underlying effects of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibition on invasion, proliferation, and angiogenesis in experimental glioma. Clin Cancer Res. 2009;15:3697–704.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Wang KL, Wu TT, Choi IS, Wang H, Resetkova E, Correa AM, et al. Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor in esophageal and esophagogastric junction adenocarcinomas: association with poor outcome. Cancer. 2007;109:658–67.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Gamboa-Dominguez A, Dominguez-Fonseca C, Quintanilla-Martinez L, Reyes-Gutierrez E, Green D, Angeles-Angeles A, et al. Epidermal growth factor receptor expression correlates with poor survival in gastric adenocarcinoma from Mexican patients: a multivariate analysis using a standardized immunohistochemical detection system. Mod Pathol. 2004;17:579–87.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Putti TC, To KF, Hsu HC, Chan AT, Lai GM, Tse G, et al. Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor in head and neck cancers correlates with clinical progression: a multicentre immunohistochemical study in the Asia-Pacific region. Histopathology. 2002;41:144–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Psyrri A, Kassar M, Yu Z, Bamias A, Weinberger PM, Markakis S, et al. Effect of epidermal growth factor receptor expression level on survival in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2005;11:8637–43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Buchholz TA, Tu X, Ang KK, Esteva FJ, Kuerer HM, Pusztai L, et al. Epidermal growth factor receptor expression correlates with poor survival in patients who have breast carcinoma treated with doxorubicin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Cancer. 2005;104:676–81.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Tsutsui S, Ohno S, Murakami S, Hachitanda Y, Oda S. Prognostic value of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and its relationship to the estrogen receptor status in 1029 patients with breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2002;71:67–75.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Nogi H, Kobayashi T, Suzuki M, Tabei I, Kawase K, Toriumi Y, et al. EGFR as paradoxical predictor of chemosensitivity and outcome among triple-negative breast cancer. Oncol Rep. 2009;21:413–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Cleator S, Heller W, Coombes RC. Triple-negative breast cancer: therapeutic options. Lancet Oncol. 2007;8:235–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Japanese Breast Cancer Society. General rules for clinical and pathological recording of breast cancer. Breast Cancer. 2005;12:S12–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Kammerer U, Kapp M, Gassel AM, Richter T, Tank C, Dietl J, et al. A new rapid immunohistochemical staining technique using the EnVision antibody complex. J Histochem Cytochem. 2001;49:623–30.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Guler G, Huebner K, Himmetoglu C, Jimenez RE, Costinean S, Volinia S, et al. Fragile histidine triad protein, WW domain-containing oxidoreductase protein Wwox, and activator protein 2gamma expression levels correlate with basal phenotype in breast cancer. Cancer. 2009;115:899–908.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Capdevila J, Elez E, Macarulla T, Ramos FJ, Ruiz-Echarri M, Tabernero J. Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibodies in cancer treatment. Cancer Treat Rev. 2009;35:354–63.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Magkou C, Nakopoulou L, Zoubouli C, Karali K, Theohari I, Bakarakos P, et al. Expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the phosphorylated EGFR in invasive breast carcinomas. Breast Cancer Res. 2008;10:49–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Talley L, Chhieng DC, Bell WC, Grizzle WE, Frost AR. Immunohistochemical detection of EGFR, p185(erbB-2), Bcl-2 and p53 in breast carcinomas in pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women. Biotech Histochem. 2008;83:5–14.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Yoshimoto M, Tada K, Hori H, Morota A, Tanabe M, Nishimura S, et al. Improvement in the prognosis of Japanese breast cancer patients from 1946 to 2001—an institutional review. Jpn J Clin Oncol. 2004;34:457–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Rakha EA, El-Sayed ME, Green AR, Lee AH, Robertson JF, Ellis IO. Prognostic markers in triple-negative breast cancer. Cancer. 2007;109:25–32.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Irvin WJ Jr, Carey LA. What is triple-negative breast cancer? Eur J Cancer. 2008;44:2799–805.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Cho EY, Han JJ, Choi YL, Kim KM, Oh YL. Comparison of Her-2, EGFR and cyclin D1 in primary breast cancer and paired metastatic lymph nodes: an immunohistochemical and chromogenic in situ hybridization study. J Korean Med Sci. 2008;23:1053–61.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Corkery B, Crown J, Clynes M, O’Donovan N. Epidermal growth factor receptor as a potential therapeutic target in triple-negative breast cancer. Ann Oncol. 2009;20:862–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Oliveras-Ferraros C, Vazquez-Martin A, López-Bonet E, Martín-Castillo B, Del Barco S, Brunet J, et al. Growth and molecular interactions of the anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab and the DNA cross-linking agent cisplatin in gefitinib-resistant MDA-MB-468 cells: new prospects in the treatment of triple-negative/basal-like breast cancer. Int J Oncol. 2008;33:1165–76.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Gholam D, Chebib A, Hauteville D, Bralet MP, Jasmin C. Combined paclitaxel and cetuximab achieved a major response on the skin metastases of a patient with epidermal growth factor receptor-positive, estrogen receptor-negative, progesterone receptor-negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-negative (triple-negative) breast cancer. Anticancer Drugs. 2007;18:835–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank our pathology technicians, Mr. Y. Sei and Mrs. K. Matsumoto, for their assistance and cooperation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Fukuoka Higashi Medical Center, 1-1-1 Chidori, Koga, 811-3195, Japan

    Tadahiro Nozoe, Emiko Mori, Tomohiro Iguchi, Akinori Egashira, Eisuke Adachi, Akito Matsukuma & Takahiro Ezaki

Authors
  1. Tadahiro Nozoe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Emiko Mori
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tomohiro Iguchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Akinori Egashira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Eisuke Adachi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Akito Matsukuma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Takahiro Ezaki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tadahiro Nozoe.

About this article

Cite this article

Nozoe, T., Mori, E., Iguchi, T. et al. Immunohistochemical expression of epidermal growth factor receptor in breast cancer. Breast Cancer 18, 37–41 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-010-0200-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-010-0200-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation