c-erbB-2 protein overexpression and p53 immunoreaction in primary and recurrent breast cancer tissues

Background and Objectives: We investigated whether expression levels of c-e rbB-2 and p53 proteins in breast cancer tissues differ in primary and metas tatic lesions. Methods: Immunohistochemical staining or sandwich enzyme immunoassay was us ed to determine expression levels of c-erbB-2 and p53 proteins in 42 breast cancer samples from 21 patients. Estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PgR) were also measured by enzyme immunoassay in each case. All patients h ad undergone radical surgery for primary tumors and surgical resection of a synchronous metastatic lesions. Thirteen patients (62%) were premenopausal and 14 (67%) received postoperative adjuvant therapies. Median disease-free survival time was 26 months (range, 5-104). The resected metastatic lesion s included 1 in the liver, 3 in the lung, and 3 in the supraclavicular lymp h nodes. The remaining 14 were local skin lesions. Results: There was no difference in the positivity rate of c-erbB-2 (38%. 8 /21) and p53 (39%. 7/18) expression between the primary tumors and the recu rrent lesions. In addition, no discordant c-erbB-2 or p53 expression was ob served between the primary tumors and their respective metastatic lesions. Positivity rates for ER and PgR were 50% (10/20) and 60% (12/20) for the pr imary tumors, but only 25% (5/20) and 30% (6/20) for the recurrent lesions, respectively (P = 0.19 for ER and P = 0.11 for PgR). Conclusions: c-erbB-2 and p53 expression levels in breast cancer cells were almost unchanged as the disease progressed and/or in response to adjuvant therapies, regardless of the hormone receptor status. J. Surg. Oncol. 2000; 73.17-20. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.