int-2 Oncogene amplification and prognosis in node-negative breast carcinoma

Abstract

The role of int‐2 oncogene amplification on the prognosis of breast cancer patients was investigated in 128 patients with node‐negative primary breast cancers given first‐line local‐regional treatments until relapse and with a median follow‐up of 65 months. Tumours had been previously characterised for oestrogen (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR) status and proliferative activity (3H‐thymidine labelling index). Amplification of the int‐2 oncogene occurred in 18% of cases and was significantly related to the presence of hormone receptors and to menopausal status or age, but not to proliferative status. Patients with tumours exhibiting int‐2 amplification had a lower probability of disease‐free survival than patients with non‐amplified tumours and frequently developed local‐regional recurrence. Disease‐free survival analysis, adjusted for the prognostic contribution provided by tumour size, steroid receptors and proliferative rate, indicated that the association between int‐2 amplification and risk of relapse was maintained and remained constant even in the presence of the other co‐variates. Interestingly, int‐2 amplification was a further prognostic discriminant within subsets of patients with a putatively good (i.e., tumour size <20 mm, ER+ and PgR+) or poor prognosis (i.e., high labelling index). Our exploratory study suggests that within node‐negative patients, int‐2 amplification could be a valuable and independent prognosticator, useful to identify patients at high risk of local‐regional recurrence. Int. J. Cancer 74:620–624, 1997.© 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Potential for Targeting the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptors in Breast Cancer

“…Indeed, amplification of FGF3 (11q13) occurs in 15% of breast tumors and was shown to correlate with increased aggressiveness in nodenegative breast carcinoma (17). Taken together, these data suggest that inappropriate expression or activation of FGFR2, which has an important role in normal development of the gland (18), might predispose to breast cancer.…”

Fibroblast growth factor 8 expression in breast carcinoma: associations with androgen receptor and prostate-specific antigen expressions

“…In humans, the gene amplification of int-2/fgf3 and hst/fgf4 has been shown to be associated with the prognosis of human breast cancer patients [7,23]. However, the expression profile of FGFs has been poorly investigated in human breast carcinoma specimens.…”

Mammary Gland Growth Factors: Roles in Normal Development and in Cancer

“…FGFR1 and FGFR2 have also been shown to contribute to breast cancer development, whereas FGFR4 has been implicated in therapy response. The references used for this figure are: (1) (Theodorou et al 2007), (2) (Peters et al 1989), (3) (Theodorou et al 2004), (4) (MacArthur et al 1995), (5) (Naidu et al 2001), (6) (Fioravanti et al 1997), (7) (Berns et al 1995), (8) (Jacquemier et al 1998), (9) (Bansal et al 1997), (10) (Zammit et al 2002), (11) (Marsh et al 1999), (12) (Adnane et al 1991), (13) (Bange et al 2002).…”