AMPLIFICATION OF ERBB-2(HER-2/NEU) ONCOGENE IN BREAST CARCINOMAS AS AN EFFICIENT PROGNOSTIC MARKER OF THE RELAPSE RISK

Amplification and overexpression of ERBB-2 (HER-2/NEU) oncogene in breast carcinomas (BiS) was studied. ERBB-2 extracopies were found in 36 (25 %) of 142 BC, overexpression - in 10 of 42 carcinomas. There was a strong correlation between amplification and overexpression of ERBB-2. We failed to find association between the increased number of ERBB-2 copies and tumor size, lymph-nodes involvement, stage of the disease, age of patients, estrogen and progesterone receptor status. There was a very strong correlation (P<0.00005) between ERBB-2 amplification and poor prognosis for women with more than 40 month follow-up (32 cases).