%0 Journal Article
%T Cytogenetic analysis of HER1/EGFR, HER2, HER3 and HER4 in 278 breast cancer patients
%A Andrea Sassen
%A Justine Rochon
%A Peter Wild
%A Arndt Hartmann
%A Ferdinand Hofstaedter
%A Stephan Schwarz
%A Gero Brockhoff
%J Breast Cancer Research
%D 2008
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/bcr1843
%X We investigated HER1¨CHER4, at both the DNA and the protein level, using fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) probes targeted to all four receptor loci and also immunohistochemistry in tissue microarrays derived from 278 breast cancer patients.We retrospectively found HER3 gene amplification with a univariate negative impact on disease-free survival (hazard ratio 2.35, 95% confidence interval 1.08 to 5.11, p = 0.031), whereas HER4 amplification showed a positive trend in overall and disease-free survival. Protein expression revealed no additional information.Overall, the simultaneous quantification of HER3 and HER4 receptor genes by means of FISH might enable the rendering of a more precise stratification of breast cancer patients by providing additional prognostic information. The continuation of explorative and prospective studies on all HER receptors will be required for an evaluation of their potential use for specific therapeutic targeting with respect to individualised therapy.Gene amplification of HER2 (HER2/neu, c-erbB2) receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) is found in 10 to 25% of invasive breast carcinomas [1,2] and is associated with an unfavourable impact on the course of disease and reduced responsiveness to tamoxifen therapy, for example [3,4]. The HER2 receptor has frequently been described as dominantly triggering mitogenic signalling within the type 1 growth factor receptor family. As a ligandless orphan receptor, HER2 preferentially heterodimerises with its relatives [5,6] and thereby has an important role in signal triggering and amplification. Its malignant potential and its key role in enhanced cell proliferation, carcinogenesis, tumour progression and metastasis have frequently been proved in numerous preclinical and clinical studies [7].The overexpressed receptor protein is exploited as the therapeutic target for Herceptin£¿, known as the humanised monoclonal antibody trastuzumab, in metastatic breast cancer and has recently proved useful in desi
%U http://breast-cancer-research.com/content/10/1/R2