BACKGROUND: It is important to develop parameters that aid in prognosticating which patients with breast cancer are more likely to have a rapid disease course and therefore might benefit from early aggressive therapies. METHODS: Specimens from two groups of women, deliberately selected because their clinical courses differed greatly, were studied to detect amplification of the protooncogenes c-myc, int-2, and C-erbB-2/neu by slot-blot assay, the estrogen receptor (ER), and the progesterone receptor (PR) by both biochemical and immunohistochemical procedures (ERICA and PRICA). One group of 50 patients had a prolonged disease-free interval after initial surgery (mean, 6.4 years); the other group of 52 women had had rapid disease recurrence (mean, 1.4 years) or progression (5 patients died of disease within 1 year of diagnosis). The patients were selected from 1700 consecutively accessioned cases if they fit the study criteria and sufficient tissue was available for oncogene hybridization studies. RESULTS: The two groups differed statistically by stage, number of involved axillary lymph nodes, ERICA and PRICA results (P = 0.001), and amplification of c-myc (P = 0.003). The percentage of patients with rapid disease recurrence and progression increased from 0-93% when risk factors changed from best case (ERICA and PRICA results, positive; c-myc, not amplified; and axillary nodes, not involved) to worst case (ERICA and PRICA findings, negative; c-myc, amplified; and axillary nodes, involved). CONCLUSIONS: Women with these worst-case parameters were more likely to have a recurrence sooner and rapidly progressive disease. They might benefit from early aggressive therapeutic measures.
BACKGROUND: It is important to develop parameters that aid in prognosticating which patients with breast cancer are more likely to have a rapid disease course and therefore might benefit from early aggressive therapies. METHODS: Specimens from two groups of women, deliberately selected because their clinical courses differed greatly, were studied to detect amplification of the protooncogenes c-myc, int-2, and C-erbB-2/neu by slot-blot assay, the estrogen receptor (ER), and the progesterone receptor (PR) by both biochemical and immunohistochemical procedures (ERICA and PRICA). One group of 50 patients had a prolonged disease-free interval after initial surgery (mean, 6.4 years); the other group of 52 women had had rapid disease recurrence (mean, 1.4 years) or progression (5 patients died of disease within 1 year of diagnosis). The patients were selected from 1700 consecutively accessioned cases if they fit the study criteria and sufficient tissue was available for oncogene hybridization studies. RESULTS: The two groups differed statistically by stage, number of involved axillary lymph nodes, ERICA and PRICA results (P = 0.001), and amplification of c-myc (P = 0.003). The percentage of patients with rapid disease recurrence and progression increased from 0-93% when risk factors changed from best case (ERICA and PRICA results, positive; c-myc, not amplified; and axillary nodes, not involved) to worst case (ERICA and PRICA findings, negative; c-myc, amplified; and axillary nodes, involved). CONCLUSIONS:Women with these worst-case parameters were more likely to have a recurrence sooner and rapidly progressive disease. They might benefit from early aggressive therapeutic measures.
Authors: M A Sovak; R E Bellas; D W Kim; G J Zanieski; A E Rogers; A M Traish; G E Sonenshein Journal: J Clin Invest Date: 1997-12-15 Impact factor: 14.808
Authors: Amylou C Dueck; Monica M Reinholz; Xochiquetzal J Geiger; Kathleen Tenner; Karla Ballman; Robert B Jenkins; Darren Riehle; Beiyun Chen; Ann E McCullough; Nancy E Davidson; Silvana Martino; George W Sledge; Peter A Kaufman; Leila A Kutteh; Julie Gralow; Lyndsay N Harris; James N Ingle; Wilma L Lingle; Edith A Perez Journal: Clin Cancer Res Date: 2013-08-21 Impact factor: 12.531