Hx. An et al., INT-2 AND C-ERBB-2 GENE AMPLIFICATION DETECTED IN 70 FROZEN HUMAN BREAST CARCINOMAS BY QUANTITATIVE POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION, Anticancer research, 17(4B), 1997, pp. 3133-3136
Gene amplification is a common mechanism of proto-oncogene activation
and contributes to tumor progression. Analysis of such genetic alterat
ions is relevant to our understanding of tumor genetics and can provid
e prognostic information for the patients. A rapid, non-radioactive ap
proach based on qdPCR and fluorescent DNA technique was applied for de
termination of int-2 and c-erbB2 gene amplification and correlated wit
h other prognostic factors in 70 breast cancer samples. ER and PgR wer
e analysed by immunohistochemistry. The mired template assay showed 96
% concordance between calculated and measured gene copy number. int-2
gene and c-erbB2 amplification were both found in 24% of the tumors. T
he amplification did not correlate with any of the other prognostic fa
ctors. 8% of the tumors showed amplification of both genes without sig
nificant correlations to any of the other parameters. The fd-PCR assay
is a valuable tool for determination of amplification of int-2 and c-
erbB2 genes. Therefore, more detailed information about individual tum
our biology and outcome may be acquired by this routine assay and prob
ably provide prognostic impact.