Clinicopathologic Characteristics and Prognostic Factors in Patients with Operable HER-2 Overexpressing Breast Cancer

Abstract

Objective: To study the relationship between clinical pathologic characteristics, treatment modalities and prognostic factors in HER-2 (Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor-2) overexpressed breast carcinoma. Materials and Methods: Major clinico-pathological factors including therapeutic modalities and survival status of 371 breast cancer patients with HER2 over-expression, teated at Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital from March of 2002 to December of 2010 were retrospectively studied, with special attention focused on survival-related factors. Results: The median age of the total 371 patients in this study was 48 years at time of diagnosis, among which, the leading pathological type was infiltrating ductal carcinoma (92.5%); 62.8% presented with a primary tomor larger than 2 cm in diameter at diagnosis, 51.0% had axillary lymph node (ALN) metastases; ER (Estrogen receptor) /PR (Progesterone receptor) double negative occured in 52.8% of cases, and PCNA (proliferation cell nuclear antigen) (+++) was found in 55.1%. HER-2 overexpressed patients were usually in advanced stage when the diagnosis was made (72.8% at stages ⅡA~ⅢC). The prognosis and survival were assessed in 259 patients with complete follow-up data. 5-year DFS (disease-free survival) and OS (overall survival) rate was 68.0% and 78.0% respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that age, tumor size, ALN metastases, LVSI (lymph-vascular space involvement), PCNA status, hormonal therapy, chemotherapy cycles, and HER-2 overexpression, correlated closely with the prognosis. ALN metastases, LVSI, PCNA status and chemotherapy cycles were independent predictors of survival. Conclusions: HER-2 overexpressed breast cancer has special clinical and pathological characteristics, with advanced clinical stages and high rate of ER/PR double negative. Lymph node metastases, LVSI, PCNA and chemotherapy cycles are independent predictors of prognosis.

Relation of Alcohol/Tobacco use with Metastasis, Hormonal (Estrogen and Progesterone) Receptor Status and c-erbB2 Protein in Mammary Ductal Carcinoma

“…Perhaps a certain proportion of mammary ductal carcinoma patients who use alcohol and/or tobacco generate double or triple negative tumors with greater frequency, as reported in other studies (Li et al, 2010;Singhai et al, 2011;Liu et al, 2012). We would add the possibility that they could be resistant to metastasis as well.…”

“…In the middle of the decade of 2000-2010, a great emphasis was given to the analysis of hormonal receptors and other tumor markers related to the regular use of tobacco and alcohol (Cui et al, 2008;Suzuki et al, 2008;Singhai et al, 2011;Liu et al, 2012). Later, there was a boom in triple negative studies (Phipps et al, 2008b;2008a;Reis-Filho and Tutt, 2008;Rakha and Ellis, 2009;Li et al, 2013) that aimed to associate breast cancer with stress and the use of tobacco and alcohol (Tan et al, 2009b;Kabat et al, 2011;Islam et al, 2012).…”

Overexpression of HER-2/neu in Patients with Prostatic Adenocarcinoma

“…HER-2 is derived from Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor, due to its similarity with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) (Liu et al, 2012). This receptor is involved in various biological processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis.…”

SLC35B2 Expression is Associated with a Poor Prognosis of Invasive Ductal Breast Carcinoma

“…In practically, expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER-2 are used to identify aggressiveness of breast cancer. Over-expression of HER-2 is associated with advanced clinical stages, high rate of ER/PR double negative and poor survival in breast carcinomas (Jana et al, 2012;Liu et al, 2012). Moreover, the lacking of these three receptors is classified as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).…”