Assessment of c-erbB 3 and c-erbB 4 expression in breast cancer patients and correlation with clinicopathological parameters

Objetive: ErbB Receptor Tyrosine Kinases possess an establishedrole in mammary gland development and breast tumorigenesis.We aimed to assess the expression of c-erbB3and c-erbB4 RTKs in early breast carcinomas and investigateits possible correlation with Estrogen or Progesterone Receptors,tumor stage and grade, disease recurrence and patient’soutcome.Patients and methods: Forty-nine specimens of earlybreast carcinomas deriving from patients that had sustainedpartial or total mastectomy with axillary lymph node resectionwere studied retrospectively. Expression of RTKs was detectedimplementing: a) an anti-HER-3 mouse polyclonal antibody;and b) an anti-HER-4 mouse polyclonal antibody. For both cerbB3and c-erbB4, either a cytoplasmic or a nuclear stainingpattern of tumor cells was considered positive.Results: Expression of c-erbB4 exhibited statistically significantassociation with tumor grade and unfavorable patient’soutcome. C-erbB3 expression did not correlate with tumorrecurrence or patient’s outcome.No association was established between the expression ofboth RTKs and that of Estrogen or Progesterone Receptors.C-erbB4 expression did not posess statistically significant associationwith patient’s death or disease recurrence. C-erbB3 expressiondid not correlate with tumor grade or recurrence andpatient’s death.Conclusions: In the context of compound molecularmechanisms, alterations in c-erbB3 and c-erbB4 expressionmerit appraisal as future interventions in breast cancer treatmen (AU)

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