[Study of mdm2 gene amplification in primary breast tumors].

mdm2 (mouse double minute) protein seems lead to p53 inactivation and therefore might potentially play a role in carcinogenesis. We have studied mdm2 gene amplification from 239 primary breast cancer tissues. mdm2 gene was amplified in 10% of cases (25/239). mdm2 amplification was associated with c-erbB2 amplification (P < 10(-3)). No other correlation was found. However there was inverse correlation between c-erbB2 gene amplification and hormonal receptors (P < 10(-4)), only from patients without mdm2 gene amplification.