PROGNOSTIC-SIGNIFICANCE OF C-ERBB-2 EXPRESSION IN INVASIVE DUCTAL CARCINOMA OF THE BREAST

The expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein was studied in relation to the histological type of invasive ductal carcinoma. The expression of c-er bB-2 was found in 26 (17.6%) of 148 cases, and was a significant progn ostic indicator in patients with lymph node metastasis, but not in tho se without. The patients were divided into a scirrhous group and a non -scirrhous group on the basis of histological type. There was no signi ficant difference between the two groups in age, clinical stage, lymph node status, estrogen receptor status, operation method or c-erbB-2 e xpression. The expression of c-erbB-2 was a significant prognostic ind icator in the scirrhous group, irrespective of lymph node metastasis, but not in the non-scirrhous group. We conclude that the prognostic si gnificance of c-erbB-2 expression differs among histological types of invasive ductal carcinoma, and that c-erbB-2 expression is a prognosti c indicator in patients with scirrhous carcinoma.