Prognostic significance of c-erbB-2 and estrogen receptor status in human breast cancer.

Using the 21N polyclonal antibody, we immunohistochemically stained 314 primary breast carcinomas to identify those tumors overexpressing the c-erbB-2 oncoprotein and to ascertain the prognostic significance of this expression on disease-free and overall survival. Positive membrane staining was present in 52 (17%) of these carcinomas of which 7 (13%) were ductal carcinomas in situ. There was no significant relationship between c-erbB-2 positivity and (a) age at diagnosis, (b) menopausal status, (c) tumor size, (d) lymph node status, (e) estrogen receptor status, or (f) whether or not the patient had disseminated disease outside the axillary fields. However, c-erbB-2-positive tumors were significantly associated with poorer grade (P = 0.02). Patients who were positive for this oncoprotein had a shorter disease-free survival (P = 0.002) and reduced overall survival (P = 0.0001). Overexpression of this oncoprotein was predictive of a worse prognosis in lymph node-positive disease (P = 0.003) and in patients presenting with grade II tumors (P = 0.001). Stratifying the patients on the basis of estrogen receptor status suggested that c-erbB-2+/estrogen receptor-negative status was predictive of a poorer prognosis when compared with the other subgroups (P less than 0.001). Primary and recurrent tumor tissues were available from 42 of the 314 patients. Identical patterns of c-erbB-2 expression occurred in 95% of cases, arguing against a direct role for c-erbB-2 expression in the process of tumor dissemination. The high incidence of staining in ductal carcinomas in situ suggests that expression of this oncoprotein is an early event in tumorigenesis. Finally, multivariate analysis indicated that the c-erbB-2 oncoprotein was an independent prognostic indicator for overall survival in breast carcinoma patients.     

284例原发乳腺癌c-erbB2蛋白的表达及其与预后的关系

目的探讨c-erbB2癌蛋白在原发乳腺癌组织中的表达情况及其与预后的关系。方法采用免疫组化SP法检测284例原发乳腺癌组织的c-erbB2表达,并用统计学分析其与预后的关系。结果284例原发乳腺癌c-erbB2的阳性表达率为26．8％（76／284）,其表达与淋巴结转移数目（P=0．003）密切相关。单因素分析表明,c-erbB2是总生存时间（OS,P=0．002）和无病生存时间（DFS,P=0．024）的重要预后因素;多因素分析表明,c-erbB2是影响Os（P=0．023）的独立预后因素。此外,c-erbB2阳性的肿瘤患者较阴性者更易于发生内脏转移。而对于不同的淋巴结转移和ER状态,c-erbB2也有不同的预后价值。结论c-erbB2是影响原发乳腺癌患者OS的独立因素;在不同的淋巴结转移和ER状态下,其预后价值不同。     

Prognosis of breast cancer: Evidence for interaction between c-erbB-2 overexpression and number of involved axillary lymph nodes

The prognostic significance of c-erbB-2 oncogene amplification or overexpression in relation to axillary lymph node metastasis is controversial. We investigated this question in 159 cases of operable breast cancer: 56 patients with node negative disease and 103 patients with pathological involvement of axillary lymph nodes. c-erbB-2 overexpression was assessed by immunohistochemistry using a polyclonal antibody raised against a synthetic peptide fragment of the oncoprotein. The overall incidence of c-erbB-2 overexpression was 35%. c-erbB-2 overexpression was significantly related to survival when all patients were considered (P = 0.0124), and also for patients with positive axillary lymph nodes (P = 0.0026). c-erbB-2 overexpression had no influence on survival of node negative patients (P = 0.7972). A multivariate survival analysis using the Cox proportional hazard model revealed that number of involved lymph nodes, c-erbB-2 overexpression, ER status, and tumour size were independently related to prognosis (P = 0.0000, 0.0012, 0.0112, and 0.0204, respectively). When an interaction term was introduced in the Cox model between c-erbB-2 overexpression and number of involved axillary lymph nodes, a statistically highly significant interaction between these two factors was observed (P = 0.0002), suggesting that the expression of prognostic power of c-erbB-2 overactivity is related to the number of involved axillary lymph nodes. The 159 patients were then subdivided into three groups: node negative (-ve) (56); 1–6 node positive ( + ve) (55); and ≥7 node +ve (48). This cutoff criterion gave the most numerically equitable distribution of the 159 patients into three groups. The relative risk of death increased stepwise from 0.86 (95% CI 0.26–2.78) for node negative patients, to 1.95 (95% CJ 0.82–63) for 1–6 node positive patients, to 2.23 (95% Cl 1.15–4.35) for >7 node positive patients. Our results suggest that the prognostic influence of c-erbB-2 overexpression increases arithmatically with increasing number of involved axillary lymph nodes. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

乳腺癌组织中survivin、c-erbB-2基因的表达与预后的关系

目的:探讨乳腺癌组织中survivin基因和c-erbB-2基因的表达与预后的关系。方法:用免疫组化S-P法检测80例乳腺癌组织中survivin、c-erbB-2的表达,分析其与腋淋巴结转移和5年无病生存率之间的关系。结果:survivin基因在乳腺癌中阳性表达率为68.75%(55/80)、c-erbB-2基因阳性表达率为36.25%(29/80),均与腋淋巴结转移正相关,与5年生存率负相关(P<0.05);survivin和c-erbB-2表达与肿瘤病理类型、发病年龄、临床分期无明显相关性(P>0.05);survivin和c-erbB-2基因表达相互呈正相关(P<0.05)。结论:凋亡抑制基因survivin和原癌基因c-erbB-2可能在乳腺癌的发生、发展过程中起重要作用,联合检测能更好地判断乳腺癌的预后。     

血管内皮生长因子、癌基因c-erbB-2在胃癌中的表达及临床意义

目的：探讨血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）、癌基因c-erbB-2在胃癌组织中表达及其临床特征之间的关系。方法：应用免疫组化技术，检测102例人胃癌组织中VEGF、c-erbB-2蛋白表达，分析VEGF、c-erbB-2与胃癌组织学分型、浸润深度、生长方式、淋巴结转移和预后的关系。结果：102例胃癌组织中VEGF表达阳性率为50％（51／102）与胃癌浸润深度（P＜0．01）、生长方式（P＜0．01）、淋巴结转移（P＜0．01）密切相关，而与组织学类型无关（P＞0．05）。102例胃癌组织中c-erbB-2表达阳性率为38．24％（39／102），与胃癌浸润深度（P＜0．05）、淋巴结转移（P＜0．05）密切相关，而与组织学类型及生长方式无关（P＞0．05）。生存期分析显示VEGF和c-erbB-2阳性的胃癌患者预后差，VEGF表达阳性的或c-erbB2-表达阳性的胃癌患者5年生存率较低。结论：VEGF、c-erbB-2与胃癌的生长、浸润、转移、预后均有密切关系，同时进行VEGF和c-erbB-2免疫组化检测对于评估胃癌的预后会更有意义。     

Expression of C-erbb-2 and epidermal growth-factor receptor in breast-carcinoma - prognostic value and correlation with clinicopathological and biological variables

We examined epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and/or c-erbB-2 expression, clinicopathological variables, silver-stained nuclear organizer region (Ag-NOR) counts, and their prognostic values in 93 patients with operable breast carcinoma. There was no significant correlation between c-erbB-2 and EGFR expression. Increased Ag-NOR counts were significantly associated with positive c-erbB-2 expression, but not with positive EGFR expression. However, co-expression of both proteins was significantly correlated with axillary lymph node metastases. Significant differences in survival were found between groups of patients stratified by tumor size, histological grade, axillary lymph node metastases, c-erbB-2, and EGFR expression by univariate analysis. In addition, c-erbB-2 and EGFR expression in combination was strongly correlated with decreased survival. However, only axillary lymph node metastases and age appeared to be independent prognostic factors by multivariate analysis. We therefore conclude that the prognostic value of c-erbB-2 and EGFR expression is limited in breast carcinoma.     

C-erbB-2 Onco-Protein Expression in Breast Cancer: Relationship to Tumour Characterisitcs and Short-Term Survival in Universiti Kebansaan Malaysia Medical Centre

Breast cancer is the commonest cancer affecting females in Malaysia, contributing 31% of all newly diagnosedcases amongst Malaysian women. The present retrospective cohort study evaluated the relationship between cerbB-2 onco-protein overexpression with various tumour characteristics and survival rate of breast cancerpatients treated at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) between 1996-2000. CerbB-2 oncoprotein overexpression was determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and tumors showing 2+positivity were verified by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH). One hundred and seventy two patientswere eligible for the study with a short-term follow-up (median) of 5.1 years. C-erbB-2 oncoprotein overexpressioncorrelated with lymph node positivity, oestrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) negativity.Univariate analyses showed shorter disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with cerbB-2 oncoprotein overexpression, Malay ethnicity, higher tumour grade, lymph node positivity, ER and PRnegativity. In a subgroup of patients with c-erbB-2 oncoprotein overexpression, a shorter OS was observed inthose with lymph node positivity, ER and PR negativity. In multivariate prognostic analysis, lymph node status,ER status and tumour grading were the strongest independent prognostic factors for both OS and DFS. However,c-erbB-2 status was not a significantly independent prognostic factor, even in subsets with lymph node positiveor negative group. C-erbB-2 oncoprotein overexpression correlated well with lymph node status, ER and PR.Shorter OS and DFS were significantly observed in patients with c-erbB-2 oncoprotein overexpression. Lymphnode status, ER status and tumour grading were the only three independent prognostic factors for OS and DFSin this study. Although c-erbB-2 expression is obviously important from a biological standpoint, multivariateanalysis showed that it is not an independent prognostic indicator in breast carcinoma in the local population.     

Expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein: a prognostic indicator in human breast cancer

Sections of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from 185 primary breast carcinomas were stained immunohistochemically using a polyclonal antibody against the c-erbB-2 oncoprotein. Positive staining, which is known to correlate with gene amplification, was associated with earlier relapse, shorter postrelapse survival, and shorter overall survival. Lymph node, epidermal growth factor receptor, and estrogen receptor status, tumor size, and histological grade also had prognostic significance but, applying multivariate analysis, only lymph node status was a more important predictor of relapse-free and overall survival than staining for the oncoprotein. Positive staining was correlated with negative estrogen receptor status and high histological grade, but there was no association with either lymph node or epidermal growth factor receptor status or tumor size. Expression of the c-erbB-2 oncoprotein appears to be an important independent indicator of prognosis in human breast cancer.     

Mutual predictive value of c-erbB-2 overexpression and various prognostic factors in ductal invasive breast carcinoma

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Breast carcinoma is a heterogeneous disease, the prognosis of which correlates with various prognostic factors. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic significance of c-erbB-2 overexpression in breast carcinoma patients in association with other known prognostic factors. METHODS & STUDY DESIGN: The relationship between immunohistochemical expression of the c-erbB-2 oncoprotein and various established prognostic factors such as tumor size, axillary node status, estrogen and progesterone receptor status, DNA ploidy, proliferation index, cathepsin D expression and histological grade in invasive ductal breast carcinoma is presented in this study. RESULTS: Of the 93 ductal invasive carcinomas 22 (23.7%) were grade I, 51 (54.8%) grade II, and 20 (21.5%) grade III, and the majority (78: 83.9%) were 2-5 cm in diameter. Tumor metastases were identified in one or more lymph nodes in 55 (59.1%) patients, the remaining 38 (40.9%) patients being lymph node negative. According to the DNA histograms 40 (43.0%) tumors were aneuploid and 53 (57.0%) were diploid, and the majority of tumors had more than 4% of cells in the S phase of the cell cycle (83.9%). Expression of c-erbB-2 as shown by immunohistochemical intense membrane staining was present in 49 (52.7%) tumors. Cathepsin D-positive cytoplasmic granular staining and cathepsin D-positive stromal macrophages were found in 60 (64.5%) and 72 (77.4%) tumors, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that overall survival correlated significantly with axillary lymph node involvement and with estrogen and progesterone receptor status for each of the receptors separately and for their coexpression, and only marginally with c-erbB-2 overexpression. In mulitivariate analysis only axillary lymph node metastases and coexpression of estrogen and progesterone receptors were found to be independent and significant prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: When patients were stratified according to c-erbB-2 expression it was shown that those with c-erbB-2 overexpression and grade II tumors, tumor size greater than 2 cm, high content of aneuploid cells and cathepsin D-positive stromal macrophages had a shorter long-term survival than c-erbB-2 negative patients.     

Helix-pomatia lectin and C-erbb-2 expression versus axillary and internal mammary lymph-node metastases in prognostic assessment of breast-cancer

The relationship between Helix pomatia lectin (HPA) staining, c-erbB-2 expression, and other prognostic factors in breast cancer, i.e., axillary (AX) and internal mammary lymph node (IMN) metastases was assessed. The prognostic value of HPA staining and c-erbB-2 expression in combination was analyzed. HPA status was found to be significantly correlated with tumor size, and with AX and IMN metastases, whereas c-erbB-2 was significantly correlated only with AX and IMN metastases. A univariate study revealed that disease-free and overall survival were correlated significantly with tumor size, with AX and IMN metastases, and with HPA and c-erbB-2 status. Moreover, c-erbB-2 status was predictive of a poorer prognosis in both HPA+ and HPA- groups, and HPA+/c-erB-2+ patients had the worst prognosis when compared to the other subgroups. In a multivariate study, however, only AX and IMN metastases were significant prognostic factors. A combination of HPA staining and c-erbB-2 expression failed to provide any additional prognostic information. In patients in whom regional lymph node dissection has not been performed, however, one should take into account not only HPA binding status, but also c-erbB-2 oncoprotein status to discriminate more precisely those sub-populations with a high recurrence risk and predicted short survival who would be candidates for more aggressive therapy.     

乳腺癌绝经前后c-erbB-2、ER、PR的表达及与预后的相关性

 目的 探讨乳腺癌绝经前后c-erbB-2、ER、PR受体的表达差异及其与预后的相关性。 方法 回顾性分析432例乳腺癌的病理学资料,其中195例患者随访5年,c-erbB-2、ER、PR的表达采用免疫组化法检测。 结果 （1）绝经前组,c-erbB-2阳性患者的ER阳性率显著低于c-erbB-2阴性患者（P=0.003）;绝经后组,c-erbB-2阳性患者的ER、PR阳性率均显著低于c-erbB-2阴性患者（P＜0.001,P=0.005）。（2）多因素分析显示,绝经前组的独立预后因素为淋巴结转移、c-erbB-2,绝经后组的独立预后因素为淋巴结转移、c-erbB-2和ER。 结论 绝经前与绝经后乳腺癌c-erbB-2、ER、PR受体表达的临床意义有所不同。     

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (pcna) and C-erbb-2 oncoprotein in breast-carcinoma with correlations to histopathological parameters and prognosis

Overexpression of PCNA (more than 25% positive tumour cells) and positivity of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein were immunohistochemically demonstrated in 490 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded breast carcinomas. Overexpression of PCNA and c-erbB-2 correlated with large tumour size, presence of lymph node metastases, high histological grade (poor differentiation), and absence of steriod hormone receptors features indicating an aggressive phenotype. In univariate analysis overexpression of PCNA correlated with poor overall survival (p<0.05), whereas c-erbB-2 was of no prognostic significance. In multivariate analysis both PCNA and c-erbB-2 failed to be of independent prognostic significance. In order to identify women with different prognosis an index termed immunoscore, based upon the results of the immunoreactivity of both PCNA and c-erbB-2 was constructed. The immunoscore was correlated with tumour size, lymph node status, histological grade, and steroid hormone receptor status. In univariate analysis of survival data the immunoscore was a prognostic parameter of poor overall survival. In multivariate analysis the classical histopathological parameters such as tumour size, histological grade and progesterone receptor status turned out to be of independent prognostic significance. The immunoscore was associated with poor prognosis but did not reach independent statistical significance (p=0.08). Further studies including a larger number of patients must be carried out in order to determine the prognostic significance of the immunoscore in multivariate analysis.     

Flt-4-positive vessel density correlates with vascular endothelial growth factor-d expression, nodal status, and prognosis in breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Metastasis to the regional lymph nodes through the lymphatic vessels is a common step in the progression of cancer and an important prognostic factor in many types of cancer. Recent evidence suggests that tumor lymphangiogenesis promotes lymphatic metastasis, and that the presence of Flt-4 on tumor blood and lymphatic vessels may play a important role in mediating lymphangiogenic factor-induced neovascularization. We assessed flt-4-positive vessel density (FVD) in breast cancer, and examined whether FVD associates with lymph node metastasis, VEGF-D expression, or prognosis. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: One hundred three invasive breast carcinomas with long-term follow-up were included in our study. Flt-4 was assessed using immunohistochemistry, then we analyzed the relationship between FVD and lymph node status, as well as VEGF-D expression and other established clinicopathological parameters. The relationship between FVD and prognosis was also investigated. RESULTS: Mean FVD of "hot spot" was 29.3 +/- 22.5 for each case. FVD was correlated significantly with lymph node metastasis (P < 0.0001), VEGF-D expression (P = 0.0019), tumor size (P = 0.0015), estrogen receptor (P = 0.0211), progesterone receptor (P = 0.0462), and c-erbB-2 (P = 0.0326). Survival curves determined by the Kaplan-Meier method and univariate analysis demonstrated that high FVD was associated with both worse disease-free survival (P = 0.0035) and overall survival (P = 0.0336). CONCLUSIONS: Increased FVD was correlated with lymph node metastasis and VEGF-D expression. High FVD may be a significant unfavorable prognostic factor for long-term survival in breast cancer. It is possible that Flt-4 becomes a target for antiangiogenic therapy to breast cancer.     

C-erbB-2 oncoprotein expression versus internal mammary lymph node metastases as additional prognostic factors in patients with axillary lymph node-positive breast cancer.

The relationship was assessed between c-erbB-2 oncoprotein expression and other prognostic factors in breast cancer, such as axillary and internal mammary node metastases. The value of these indicators was analyzed in estimating prognosis, especially in patients with axillary node-positive breast cancer. These results showed that c-erbB-2 is significantly related to clinical stage and axillary node metastases. A univariate study revealed that disease-free and overall survival were correlated significantly with clinical stage, tumor size, axillary and internal mammary node metastases, and 21N status. Among the patients with axillary node involvement, however, 21N status did not appear to be a significant additional prognostic factor. Internal mammary node metastases were significant. In a multivariate study, only axillary and internal mammary node metastases were significant prognostic factors for either the entire group of patients or those with positive axillary nodes. Therefore, axillary node dissection and biopsy of the internal mammary nodes may provide important prognostic information for patients with breast cancer.     

C-erbB-2 overexpression in primary breast cancer: independent prognostic factor in patients at high risk

Summary The prognostic value of c-erbB-2 protein overexpression has been evaluated in 463 patients with operable breast cancer after a median follow-up of 66 months. Overexpression was observed in 99/463 (21%) of the breast tumors. It showed significant positive correlation to histological grade (p < 0.0001) and tumor size (p < 0.02). A relationship of borderline significance was observed between c-erbB-2 protein overexpression and negative or low estrogen receptor (ER) content. No significant correlation was found to lymph node involvement or proliferating tumor cell fraction as determined by the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). After a median follow-up of 66 months (range 6 to 109 months), the overall survival of all patients amounted to 63%. Multivariate analysis revealed lymph node involvement, tumor size, histological grade, histological type, c-erbB-2 protein overexpression, progesterone receptor (PR) content, and oral contraceptive use as independent prognostic factors. In an univariate analysis, the overall survival amounted to 72% and 38% of tumor patients with negative and positive c-erbB-2 protein overexpression, respectively. The most significant finding is that c-erbB-2 overexpression has been recognized as an independent predictive factor in subsets of tumor patients who would be expected to have a generally poor prognosis, such as those indicating axillary lymph node involvement, large tumor size (> 2 cm), and PR negativity.     

乳腺浸润性导管癌预后相关因素分析

目的:探讨乳腺浸润性导管癌预后相关因素.方法: 收集130例乳腺浸润性导管癌资料,回顾性分析其临床特征、病理分化程度、复发转移情况、激素受体状况、人类表皮生长因子受体2的表达、临床治疗及生存情况.结果: c-erbB-2表达在ER、PR阳性组低于ER、PR阴性组(P<0.01),ER表达在PR阳性组高于PR阴性组(P<0.01);中、低分化与高分化相比,在淋巴结的转移、肿瘤的转移或复发、临床分期、肿块的大小上,均有统计学差异(P<0.05);单因素分析结果显示,激素受体状况、人类表皮生长因子受体2表达、病理分化程度、淋巴结状况、肿瘤转移或复发、临床分期、肿瘤大小、T分期、N分期、辅助化疗等11个因素与预后相关;多因素分析结果显示:ER状况、病理分化程度、淋巴结状况、临床分期是乳腺浸润性导管癌患者预后的独立影响因素.结论: 对乳腺浸润性导管癌,早期发现并针对病理分化程度及激素受体水平的适当治疗是提高生存期的关键.     

Overexpression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in muscle-invasive bladder carcinoma: relationship with gene amplification,clinicopathological parameters and prognostic outcome

Amplification of the c-erbB-2 oncogene and protein overexpression are well-known in breast cancer and a basis for therapy with the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab, which binds to the receptor encoded by c-erbB-2. Regarding bladder carcinoma, several studies have examined c-erbB-2 expression, but their results are quite heterogeneous. In the present study, we evaluated the expression of this oncoprotein immunohistochemically in 203 muscle-invasive urothelial bladder carcinomas using the HercepTest. Additionally, 42 cases were studied for gene amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using the PathVysion kit. Follow-up was known in 147 patients. The results were compared with pathologic characteristics and disease-related survival. Immunohistochemical c-erbB-2 overexpression was observed in 37% of the tumors (76/203). However, only 5% (2/42) showed amplification of the oncogene, indicating that predominantly other mechanisms than gene amplification may cause protein overexpression in bladder cancer. C-erbB-2 protein overexpression was significantly associated with high tumor grade (p=0.004) and infiltrative growth pattern (p=0.0001), and tendentiously associated with the presence of lymph node metastases (p=0.077). Regarding tumor stage, sex and age, no significant correlation was registered. Kaplan-Meier curves showed a significantly worse disease-related survival for patients with c-erbB-2 overexpressing tumors (p=0.0346 by log-rank test). Multivariate analysis revealed that, besides nodal status (p=0.0001) and tumor stage (p=0.028), c-erbB-2 overexpression was an independent predictor of disease-related survival (p=0.030). Thus, our results suggest that immunohistochemical c-erbB-2 detection might represent an additional tool in determining bladder cancer prognosis. Clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of trastuzumab therapy in bladder cancer patients are warranted.     

Prognostic significance of c-erbB-2 expression in node negative breast cancer.

The prognostic value of c-erbB-2 oncogene expression was studied retrospectively in a consecutive series of 230 node negative breast cancers, followed-up for at least 7 years after primary treatment. The expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein was determined on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue, using a monoclonal anti-c-erbB-2 antibody by the avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase method. Positive immunostaining was observed in 20.9% of cases, whereas strong diffuse positivity was recorded only in 8.7% of cases. C-erbB-2 gene product showed no association to T category or nuclear grade. A significant association of c-erbB-2 expression to prognosis was observed only for cases showing a strong diffuse immunostaining, but such an association was no longer statistically significant at multivariate analysis adjusting for other prognostic factors such as T category and nuclear grading. C-erbB-2 expression is of no value to predict the clinical course of node negative patients in the current practice.     

c-erbB-2 protein expression and clinicopathologic features in colorectal cancer

Previous reports showed that breast and gastric cancers overexpressing c-erbB-2 protein have a greater metastatic potential and worse prognosis than tumors in which this protein is not overexpressed. The present study was undertaken to examine the significance of c-erbB-2 protein expression as a prognostic factor in colorectal cancer. Protein expression was examined immunohistologically in colorectal cancer tissue from 149 patients without distant metastasis, from 38 patients with liver metastasis, and from 18 patients with lung metastasis. The c-erbB-2 protein-positive rate was significantly higher in cases with lymphatic vessel invasion in the primary tumor, but it did not correlate with lymph node metastases. Expression of c-erbB-2 did not correlate with any other histologic feature (histologic type, depth of tumor invasion, venous vessel invasion, or the clinical stage). The positive rate in the primary lesion was significantly higher in cases with liver metastasis than in cases without liver metastasis, the positive rate was significantly higher in the hepatic than in the primary lesions. The expression of c-erbB-2 protein in colorectal cancer tissue correlates closely with liver metastasis but not with lymphatic or lung metastases.     

132例三阴性乳腺癌患者的临床特征与预后分析

目的探讨三阴性乳腺癌的临床特征及影响预后的因素。方法采用回顾性方法对我院132例三阴性乳腺癌患者的临床特征进行分析,并根据随访资料分析了患者的生存情况及预后因素。所有患者均经免疫组化证实ER、PR、Her-2为阴性。结果132例三阴性乳腺癌患者占同期乳腺癌患者（774例）的17．1％,绝经前患者（91例）占68．9％,53．8％的患者（71例）发病时肿块大小为T2,39．4％患者（52例）腋窝淋巴结阳性。中位随访时间63个月,共有33例出现复发或转移,其中20例死亡,23例同时出现2个部位以上的转移,5年的无病生存率为73．8％,总生存率为85．7％。淋巴结阳性患者复发转移风险较淋巴结阴性患者明显增加（P=0．001）。结论三阴性乳腺癌患者大多在治疗后2—3年发生多发转移,仅淋巴结状况是影响其预后的重要因素,淋巴结阳性的三阴性乳腺癌患者预后差。