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Type 1 growth factor receptor expression in node positive breast cancer: adverse prognostic significance of c-erbB-4

Lodge, A.J., Anderson, J.J., Gullick, William J., Haugk, B., Leonard, R.C., Angus, B. (2003) Type 1 growth factor receptor expression in node positive breast cancer: adverse prognostic significance of c-erbB-4. Journal of Clinical Pathology, 56 (4). pp. 300-304. ISSN 0021-9746. (doi:10.1136/jcp.56.4.300) (Access to this publication is currently restricted. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:3981)

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jcp.56.4.300

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There is a clear need to define biological markers that will predict the response to treatment in breast cancer, and several recent studies suggest that the expression of type 1 growth factor receptors may prove important in this regard. The type 1 growth factor receptors are a family of transmembrane receptors comprising epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), c-erbB-2, c-erbB-3, and c-erbB-4. Both EGFR and c-erbB-2 are associated with poor prognosis in certain tumours. AIMS: There is very little information concerning expression patterns of the full range of type 1 growth factor receptors, especially with respect to c-erbB-3 and c-erbB-4. Therefore, this study was designed to compare the expression of each, and to assess whether expression of any of the factors was related to patient survival in a clinical series. METHODS: Type 1 growth factor receptor expression was investigated by means of immunohistochemistry in a series of node positive patients with breast cancer (n = 66), and statistical analysis was carried out to determine associations between variables and survival analysis for each variable. RESULTS: There were several correlations between variables, and overexpression of EGFR, c-erbB-2, and c-erbB-4 was found to be associated with adverse clinical outcome, although the results were significant only for c-erbB-4 (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Although patient numbers are small, this is the first report describing c-erbB-4 as an adverse prognostic marker. These findings are in contrast to previous investigations and may relate to the fact that the patients studied all had advanced stage disease and had undergone similar chemotherapy regimens in the context of a clinical trial.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1136/jcp.56.4.300
Uncontrolled keywords: breast cancer; type 1 growth factor receptors; c-erbB-4; prognosis; immunohistochemistry
Subjects: Q Science
R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC254 Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Biosciences
Depositing User: William Gullick
Date Deposited: 03 Sep 2008 23:29 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 09:42 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/3981 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Gullick, William J..

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