THE PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR RECEPTOR (EGFR) IN BREAST-CANCER PATIENTS - RESULTS OF A FOLLOW-UP-STUDY ON 149 PATIENTS

The expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in breast ca ncer patients was correlated to the disease-free survival. The study i ncluded 149 breast cancer patients. The mean follow-up time was 4.2 ye ars. There was an inverse correlation bewteen EGFR and estrogen recept or (p < 0.003) and progesterone receptor (p < 0.013). Subdivision of E GFR showed that patients with EGFR greater-than-or-equal-to 0.60%, reg arded as EGFR positive, had a worse prognosis than patients with EGFR binding < 0.60%, regarded as EGFR negative (p = 0.004). In the ER nega tive group, EGFR positive patients had a shorter relapse-free time tha n patients with EGFR negative cancer (p < 0.009). The same subdivision among ER positive patients showed no statistically significant differ ence.