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Prognostic and predictive values of EGFR overexpression and EGFR copy number alteration in HER2-positive breast cancer

Cited 88 time in Web of Science Cited 93 time in Scopus
Authors

Lee, H. J.; Seo, A. N.; Kim, E. J.; Jang, M. H.; Kim, Y. J.; Kim, J. H.; Kim, S. -W.; Ryu, H. S.; Park, I. A.; Im, S. -A.; Gong, G.; Jung, K. H.; Kim, H. J.; Park, S. Y.

Issue Date
2015-01
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
Citation
British Journal of Cancer, Vol.112 No.1, pp.103-111
Abstract
Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in a subset of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancers, and coexpression of HER2 and EGFR has been reported to be associated with poor clinical outcome. Moreover, interaction between HER2 and EGFR has been suggested to be a possible basis for trastuzumab resistance. Methods: We analysed the clinical significance of EGFR overexpression and EGFR gene copy number alterations in 242 HER2-positive primary breast cancers. In addition, we examined the correlations between EGFR overexpression, trastuzumab response and clinical outcome in 447 primary, and 112 metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer patients treated by trastuzumab. Results: Of the 242 primary cases, the level of EGFR overexpression was 2+ in 12.7% and 3+ in 11.8%. High EGFR gene copy number was detected in 10.3%. Epidermal growth factor receptor overexpression was associated with hormone receptor negativity and high Ki-67 proliferation index. In survival analyses, EGFR overexpression, but not high EGFR copy number, was associated with poor disease-free survival in all patients, and in the subgroup not receiving adjuvant trastuzumab. In 447 HER2-positive primary breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant trastuzumab, EGFR overexpression was also an independent poor prognostic factor. However, EGFR overexpression was not associated with trastuzumab response, progression-free survival or overall survival in the metastatic setting. Conclusions: Epidermal growth factor receptor overexpression, but not high EGFR copy number, is a poor prognostic factor in HER2-positive primary breast cancer. Epidermal growth factor receptor overexpression is a predictive factor for trastuzumab response in HER2-positive primary breast cancer, but not in metastatic breast cancer.
ISSN
0007-0920
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/10371/177268
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.2014.556
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  • College of Medicine
  • Department of Medicine
Research Area Clinical Medicine

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