Summary
The type 1 family of growth factor receptors includes the EGFR, c-erbB2, c-erbB3, and c-erbB4. All four members of the family are expressed in breast cancer. The EGFR gene and more frequently the c-erbB2 gene are amplified in a proportion of cases. In addition to increased expression as a result of gene amplification, overexpression of perhaps all of the receptors also appears to occur, probably as a result of increased mRNA transcription. Overexpression may have prognostic value and may predict response to current therapies. Finally these GFR proteins represent targets for new types of chemotherapeutic agents.
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Rajkumar, T., Gullick, W.J. The type I growth factor receptors in human breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Tr 29, 3–9 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00666177
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00666177