Abstract
We examined the relation between ERBB2 gene expression (as determined by a real-time quantitative RT-PCR assay) and the response to adjuvant tamoxifen therapy in a well-defined cohort of 125 ERalpha-positive postmenopausal patients with breast cancer. Although ERBB2 overexpression was associated with shorter relapse-free survival in univariate analysis (P=0.00029), ERBB2 did not persist as an independent prognostic factor in multivariate analysis. Nevertheless, when we analyzed the ERBB2 mRNA level as a continuous variable, the higher the ERBB2RNA level, the poorer the outcome (P=0.00036). The results point to the need for a quantitative ERBB2 expression assay for use in future studies of ERBB2-based clinical management of breast cancer.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Aged
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Aged, 80 and over
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Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / therapeutic use*
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Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
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Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
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Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
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Cohort Studies
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Disease-Free Survival
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Drug Resistance
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Estrogen Antagonists / therapeutic use*
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Estrogen Receptor alpha
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Female
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Gene Expression
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Humans
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Middle Aged
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Postmenopause
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RNA, Messenger / metabolism
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RNA, Neoplasm / metabolism
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Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics*
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Receptors, Estrogen / metabolism*
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Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Tamoxifen / therapeutic use*
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Treatment Outcome
Substances
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Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
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Estrogen Antagonists
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Estrogen Receptor alpha
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RNA, Messenger
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RNA, Neoplasm
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Receptors, Estrogen
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Tamoxifen
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Receptor, ErbB-2