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Structure and expression of c‐ erb B‐2 and EGF receptor genes in inflammatory and non‐inflammatory breast cancer: Prognostic significance
Author(s) -
Guérin Martine,
Gabillot Michèle,
Mathieu MarieChristine,
Travagli JeanPaul,
Spielmann Marc,
Andrieu Nadine,
Riou Guy
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.2910430205
Subject(s) - breast cancer , inflammatory breast cancer , epidermal growth factor receptor , cancer research , biology , gene , estrogen receptor , lymph node , cancer , oncogene , pathology , medicine , genetics , cell cycle
C‐ erb B‐2 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) genes were independently shown to be associated with breast cancer progression. In this report, we have analyzed the structure and expression of these 2 genes in the same tumor specimens of a large series of breast cancers. Two clinical types of tumor were studied: inflammatory (IBC) and non‐inflammatory breast cancers (NBC) obtained from 221 untreated patients at different clinical stages. Amplification and over‐expression of the c‐ erb B‐2 proto‐oncogene were observed in 27% and 47% of tumors, respectively, and were strongly associated with breast cancers of the most unfavorable prognosis, namely IBC and NBC with multiple positive axillary nodes. EGFR gene was neither amplified nor rearranged. A restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for Hind III endonuclease was observed. EGFR transcripts were detected in 46% of tumors and observed more frequently in IBC than in NBC ( p < 0.02). In NBC the presence of EGFR transcripts increased linearly with lymph‐node involvement and was associated with estrogen‐receptor‐negative tumors ( p = 0.01). Analysis of both genes from the same tumor samples indicated that genes are associated with cancer aggressiveness. Furthermore, in NBC these 2 genes were independently activated, in contrast to IBC in which activated genes were negatively correlated, suggesting that c‐ erb B‐2 and EGFR genes play different roles in NBC and IBC.