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Comparison of the immunohistochemical expression of EGFR, c-erbB2 and p53 protein between primary and recurrent breast cancer

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Abstract

Background

Although various biological parameters have been evaluated as predictors of the response to chemohormonal therapy for breast cancer, few studies have comparied the biological parameters of the primary and recurrent breast cancers.

Patients and Methods

The immunohistochemical expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), c-erbB2 and p53 protein were analyzed on both primary and matching recurrent lesions from 42 patients with breast cancer.

Results

EGFR and c-erbB2 expression were concordant between the primary and matching recurrent lesion in 27 (90%) of 30 cases in which EGFR was evaluated and in all (100%) 12 cases in which c-erbB2 was evaluated. Twelve (67%) of 18 cases in which p53 protein was evaluated showed concordance of p53 protein expression between the primary and recurrent lesions, while 6 other cases did not. The intensity of the immunoreactivity of p53 protein was 10-50% staining in 5 of these 6 cases, while only one case showed greater than 50% staining of p53 protein in the primary lesion and negative staining in the matching recurrent lesion.

Conclusion

EGFR and c-erbB2 immunoreactivity were concordant between the primary and matching recurrent lesions in the majority of the breast cancer cases. In addition, some cases were not concordant regarding the intensity of immunoreactivity for p53 protein, whereas few cases showed both a strong positivity and negative finding for p53 protein between the primary and matching recurrent lesions.

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Abbreviations

EGFR:

Epidermal growth factor receptor

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Department of Breast Surgery, Beppu National Hospital, Japan

    Shinichi Tsutsui

  2. The Department of Breast Surgery, National Kyushu Cancer Center, Japan

    Shinji Ohno, Shigeru Murakami, Akemi Kataoka & Junko Kinoshita

  3. Pathology, National Kyushu Cancer Center, Japan

    Yoichi Hachitanda

Authors
  1. Shinichi Tsutsui
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  2. Shinji Ohno
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  3. Shigeru Murakami
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  4. Akemi Kataoka
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  5. Junko Kinoshita
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  6. Yoichi Hachitanda
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Additional information

Reprint requests to Shinichi Tsutsui, Department of Breast Surgery, Beppu National Hospital, 1473 Oaza-Uchikamado, Beppu 874–0011, Japan.

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Tsutsui, S., Ohno, S., Murakami, S. et al. Comparison of the immunohistochemical expression of EGFR, c-erbB2 and p53 protein between primary and recurrent breast cancer. Breast Cancer 9, 111–117 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02967575

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02967575

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