This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Clark, G. M. Articles by McGuire, W. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Clark, G. M. Articles by McGuire, W. L.

Follow-up Study of HER-2/neu Amplification in Primary Breast Cancer¹

Department of Medicine/Medical Oncology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78284-7884

Amplification of the HER-2/neu oncogene was determined in 362 tumors from patients with primary breast cancer (185 node-positive patients and 177 node-negative patients). The overall amplification rate was 33% (30% for node-negative patients; 31% for patients with 1–3 positive nodes; 40% for patients with >3 positive nodes). Gene copy number was not associated with axillary lymph node status, steroid receptor status, or patient age but was weakly correlated with the size of the primary tumor. Amplification of the HER-2/neu gene did not correlate with either disease-free or overall survival in univariate or multivariate analyses. The results were unambiguously negative for patients with node-negative disease. Although the univariate results for node-positive patients were marginally significant (P = 0.07), the significance was not retained in multivariate analyses. Thus, while HER-2/neu amplification may be biologically important in primary breast cancer, it will only be of marginal utility as a prognostic factor for predicting clinical outcome.

¹ This work was supported in part by NIH Grant CA 30195.

² To whom reprint requests should be addressed, at Department of Medical Oncology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78284-7884.

Received 3/ 5/90. Accepted 11/20/90.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A Agrawal, E Gutteridge, J M W Gee, R I Nicholson, and J F R Robertson Overview of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in clinical breast cancer Endocr. Relat. Cancer, July 1, 2005; 12(Supplement_1): S135 - S144. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. STEFANO, B. AGOSTARA, M. CALABRỎ, I. CAMPISI, B. RAVAZZOLO, A. TRAINA, M. MIELE, and L. CASTAGNETTA Expression Levels and Clinical-Pathological Correlations of HER2/neu in Primary and Metastatic Human Breast Cancer Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., December 1, 2004; 1028(1): 463 - 472. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Cianfrocca and L. J. Goldstein Prognostic and Predictive Factors in Early-Stage Breast Cancer Oncologist, November 1, 2004; 9(6): 606 - 616. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. S. Ross, J. A. Fletcher, K. J. Bloom, G. P. Linette, J. Stec, W. F. Symmans, L. Pusztai, and G. N. Hortobagyi Targeted Therapy in Breast Cancer: The HER-2/neu Gene and Protein Mol. Cell. Proteomics, April 1, 2004; 3(4): 379 - 398. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. S. Ross, J. A. Fletcher, G. P. Linette, J. Stec, E. Clark, M. Ayers, W. F. Symmans, L. Pusztai, and K. J. Bloom The HER-2/neu Gene and Protein in Breast Cancer 2003: Biomarker and Target of Therapy Oncologist, August 1, 2003; 8(4): 307 - 325. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Lipton, S.M. Ali, K. Leitzel, L. Demers, H.A. Harvey, H.A. Chaudri-Ross, C. Brady, P. Wyld, and W. Carney Serum HER-2/neu and Response to the Aromatase Inhibitor Letrozole Versus Tamoxifen J. Clin. Oncol., May 15, 2003; 21(10): 1967 - 1972. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. M. Ali, K. Leitzel, V. M. Chinchilli, L. Engle, L. Demers, H. A. Harvey, W. Carney, J. W. Allard, and A. Lipton Relationship of Serum HER-2/neu and Serum CA 15-3 in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer Clin. Chem., August 1, 2002; 48(8): 1314 - 1320. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. F. Press, D. J. Slamon, K. J. Flom, J. Park, J.-Y. Zhou, and L. Bernstein Evaluation of HER-2/neu Gene Amplification and Overexpression: Comparison of Frequently Used Assay Methods in a Molecularly Characterized Cohort of Breast Cancer Specimens J. Clin. Oncol., July 15, 2002; 20(14): 3095 - 3105. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Lipton, S.M. Ali, K. Leitzel, L. Demers, V. Chinchilli, L. Engle, H. A. Harvey, C. Brady, C.M. Nalin, M. Dugan, et al. Elevated Serum HER-2/neu Level Predicts Decreased Response to Hormone Therapy in Metastatic Breast Cancer J. Clin. Oncol., March 15, 2002; 20(6): 1467 - 1472. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. N. Hait The Prognostic and Predictive Values of ECD-HER-2 Clin. Cancer Res., September 1, 2001; 7(9): 2601 - 2604. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Simon, A. Nocito, T. Hubscher, C. Bucher, J. Torhorst, P. Schraml, L. Bubendorf, M. M. Mihatsch, H. Moch, K. Wilber, et al. Patterns of HER-2/neu Amplification and Overexpression in Primary and Metastatic Breast Cancer J Natl Cancer Inst, August 1, 2001; 93(15): 1141 - 1146. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. C. Bast Jr, P. Ravdin, D. F. Hayes, S. Bates, H. Fritsche Jr, J. M. Jessup, N. Kemeny, G. Y. Locker, R. G. Mennel, and M. R. Somerfield 2000 Update of Recommendations for the Use of Tumor Markers in Breast and Colorectal Cancer: Clinical Practice Guidelines of the American Society of Clinical Oncology J. Clin. Oncol., March 15, 2001; 19(6): 1865 - 1878. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Carr, S. Havstad, R. J. Zarbo, G. Divine, P. Mackowiak, and V. Velanovich The Association of HER-2/neu Amplification With Breast Cancer Recurrence Arch Surg, December 1, 2000; 135(12): 1469 - 1474. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. D. Placido, C. Carlomagno, F. Ciardiello, M. D. Laurentiis, S. Pepe, A. Ruggiero, G. Tortora, L. Panico, A. D'Antonio, G. Pettinato, et al. Measurement of Neovascularization Is an Independent Prognosticator of Survival in Node-negative Breast Cancer Patients with Long-Term Follow-Up Clin. Cancer Res., October 1, 1999; 5(10): 2854 - 2859. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. W. Jacobs, A. M. Gown, H. Yaziji, M. J. Barnes, and S. J. Schnitt Comparison of Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization and Immunohistochemistry for the Evaluation of HER-2/neu in Breast Cancer J. Clin. Oncol., July 1, 1999; 17(7): 1974 - 1974. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Jinno, M. G. Steiner, R. G. Mehta, M. P. Osborne, and N. T. Telang Inhibition of aberrant proliferation and induction of apoptosis in HER-2/neu oncogene transformed human mammary epithelial cells by N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide Carcinogenesis, February 1, 1999; 20(2): 229 - 236. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. S. Ross and J. A. Fletcher The HER-2/neu Oncogene in Breast Cancer: Prognostic Factor, Predictive Factor, and Target for Therapy Stem Cells, November 1, 1998; 16(6): 413 - 428. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				J. S. Ross and J. A. Fletcher The HER-2/neu Oncogene in Breast Cancer: Prognostic Factor, Predictive Factor, and Target for Therapy Oncologist, August 1, 1998; 3(4): 237 - 252. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				F. Revillion, L. Hornez, and J.-P. Peyrat Quantification of c-erbB-2 gene expression in breast cancer by competitive RT-PCR Clin. Chem., November 1, 1997; 43(11): 2114 - 2120. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Gelmini, C. Orlando, R. Sestini, G. Vona, P. Pinzani, L. Ruocco, and M. Pazzagli Quantitative polymerase chain reaction-based homogeneous assay with fluorogenic probes to measure c-erbB-2 oncogene amplification Clin. Chem., May 1, 1997; 43(5): 752 - 758. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]