Evaluation of the prognostic value of HER-2 and VEGF in breast cancer patients participating in a randomized study with dose-dense sequential adjuvant chemotherapy

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Date

Authors

Kostopoulos, I.
Arapantoni-Dadioti, P.
Gogas, H.
Papadopoulos, S.
Malamou-Mitsi, V.
Scopa, C. D.
Markaki, S.
Karagianni, E.
Kyriakou, V.
Margariti, A.

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Abstract

Type of the conference item

Journal type

peer-reviewed

Educational material type

Conference Name

Journal name

Breast Cancer Res Treat

Book name

Book series

Book edition

Alternative title / Subtitle

Description

PURPOSE: To assess the prognostic and predictive significance of HER-2 overexpression and high expression of VEGF in high-risk patients with breast cancer treated with dose-dense sequential chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From June 1997 until November 2000, 595 patients were randomized to three cycles of epirubicin (E) 110 mg/m2 followed by three cycles of paclitaxel (T) 250 mg/m2 followed by three cycles of "intensified" CMF (cyclophosphamide 840 mg/m2, methotrexate 47 mg/m2 and fluorouracil 840 mg/m2) or to four cycles of E, followed by four cycles of CMF. HER-2 was assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 394 patients, and by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in cases scored as 2+ by IHC. VEGF was evaluated in 323 patients by IHC. RESULTS: HER-2 overexpression was detected in 123 patients (31%) and high expression of VEGF in 233 (72%). The rate of HER-2 overexpression was significantly higher in patients with positive VEGF staining (35% vs. 21%, p=0.02). Overexpression of HER-2 was significantly associated with negative hormonal status, high histologic grade and larger tumors. HER-2 overexpression was a significant negative predictor of DFS (p=0.002), but not of OS. Adjusting for HER-2 overexpression, DFS and OS did not significantly differ between treatment groups. Positive VEGF staining was not associated with receptor status, number of positive nodes, grade, tumor size, incidence of relapse or death. CONCLUSIONS: For both treatments, HER-2 overexpression was a significant negative prognostic factor for DFS but not for OS, while high expression of VEGF was not significantly associated to either DFS or OS. No predictive ability of HER-2 status or VEGF overexpression for T treatment was evident.

Description

Keywords

Adult, Aged, Breast Neoplasms/chemistry/*drug therapy/mortality, Chemotherapy, Adjuvant, Disease-Free Survival, Female, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Middle Aged, Multivariate Analysis, Prognosis, Receptor, erbB-2/*analysis, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/*analysis

Subject classification

Citation

Link

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16538542
http://www.springerlink.com/content/07x143553035294u/fulltext.pdf

Language

en

Publishing department/division

Advisor name

Examining committee

General Description / Additional Comments

Institution and School/Department of submitter

Πανεπιστήμιο Ιωαννίνων. Σχολή Επιστημών Υγείας. Τμήμα Ιατρικής

Table of contents

Sponsor

Bibliographic citation

Name(s) of contributor(s)

Number of Pages

Course details

Endorsement

Review

Supplemented By

Referenced By