M. Noguchi et al., HELIX-POMATIA LECTIN AND C-ERBB-2 EXPRESSION VERSUS AXILLARY AND INTERNAL MAMMARY LYMPH-NODE METASTASES IN PROGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT OF BREAST-CANCER, Oncology Reports, 1(1), 1994, pp. 155-160
The relationship between Helix pomatia lectin (HPA) staining, c-erbB-2
expression, and other prognostic factors in breast cancer, i.e., axil
lary (AX) and internal mammary lymph node (IMN) metastases was assesse
d. The prognostic value of HPA staining and c-erbB-2 expression in com
bination was analyzed. HPA status was found to be significantly correl
ated with tumor size, and with AX and IMN metastases, whereas c-erbB-2
was significantly correlated only with AX and IMN metastases. A univa
riate study revealed that disease-free and overall survival were corre
lated significantly with tumor size, with AX and IMN metastases, and w
ith 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-2patients had the worst prognosis when compared to the other subgroups.
In a multivariate study, however, only AX and IMN metastases were sig
nificant 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 perfor
med, 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.