EGFR expression correlates with decreased disease-free survival in triple-negative breast cancer: a retrospective analysis based on a tissue microarray

Med Oncol. 2012 Jun;29(2):401-5. doi: 10.1007/s12032-011-9827-x. Epub 2011 Jan 25.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the prognostic value of EGFR expression for patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Clinical data of these patients were collected and analyzed, and immunohistochemical staining for EGFR was performed on tissue microarrays of operable breast cancer from 287 patients with TNBC, who were treated at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from January 1995 to December 2008. EGFR expression was found in 36.2% of the cases with TNBC. A significant correlation was found between EGFR expression and disease-free survival (DFS). Univariated analysis indicated that EGFR expression had a significant prognostic value in TNBC patients, whereas multivariate analysis indicated that EGFR was a significant independent prognostic factor of DFS (P = 0.011) in all patients. Our results suggested that EGFR was an independent prognostic factor of DFS in patients with TNBC. Therefore, EGFR could become a good therapeutic target in the treatment of TNBC.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Breast Neoplasms / mortality*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Neoplasm Grading
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Prognosis
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Estrogen / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Progesterone / metabolism*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Survival Rate
  • Tissue Array Analysis

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • Receptors, Progesterone
  • EGFR protein, human
  • ErbB Receptors
  • Receptor, ErbB-2