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Gene copy numbers of HER family in breast cancer

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Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Aim

The aim of the study was to analyze the occurrence of abnormal gene copy numbers of all HER oncogenes and to correlate these alterations to other clinicopathological variables in a consecutive series of 225 breast cancer patients.

Methods

Gene copy number of HER oncogenes was analyzed with double differential polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR). Statistical analysis was performed with a set of nonparametric tests.

Results

Sixty-five percent of the tumors contained abnormal gene copy number of at least one HER oncogene. Alterations of at least two oncogenes were found in 31% of cases. The correlations between average gene copy numbers (AGCNs) of particular HER oncogenes were much stronger in node positive compared to node-negative tumors. Deletions of EGFR were associated with the lack of steroid hormone receptors. The HER3 and HER4 amplifications were more common in well differentiated tumors.

Conclusions

Our results indicate a key role of HER heterodimers in tumor progression and confirm earlier data that HER2 is the preferred partner for other HER oncogenes in this process. Deletions of EGFR were associated with unfavorable characteristics, whereas HER3 and HER4 amplifications may be linked with less aggressive phenotypes.

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Abbreviations

AGCN:

Average gene copy number

ddPCR:

Double differential polymerase chain reaction

SD:

Standard deviation

CV:

Coefficient of variation

ER:

Estrogen receptors

PgR:

Progesterone receptors

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Acknowledgment

The work was supported by a Polish Scientific Research Committee (KBN) Grant, 3PO5A 005 22

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 7, 80-211, Gdańsk, Poland

    Anna Żaczek, Marzena Wełnicka-Jaśkiewicz, Andrzej Badzio & Jacek Jassem

  2. Molecular Diagnostics Division, Department of Biotechnology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland

    Anna Żaczek & Krzysztof Piotr Bielawski

  3. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland

    Janusz Jaśkiewicz

  4. Department of Pathology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center-Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland

    Włodzimierz Olszewski

  5. Department of Oncological Surgery, Cancer Center, Bydgoszcz, Poland

    Piotr Rhone

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  1. Anna Żaczek
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  2. Marzena Wełnicka-Jaśkiewicz
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Correspondence to Anna Żaczek.

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Żaczek, A., Wełnicka-Jaśkiewicz, M., Bielawski, K.P. et al. Gene copy numbers of HER family in breast cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 134, 271–279 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-007-0284-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-007-0284-z

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