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Breast Cancer Research
Published in: Breast Cancer Research 2/2003

Open Access 01-04-2003 | Research article

C-myc, not HER-2/neu, can predict recurrence and mortality of patients with node-negative breast cancer

Authors: Claus M Schlotter, Ulf Vogt, Ulrich Bosse, Berthold Mersch, Katja Waβmann

Published in: Breast Cancer Research | Issue 2/2003

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Abstract

Background

At present, node-negative, high-risk breast cancer patients cannot be identified with sufficient accuracy. Consequently, further strong prognostic factors are needed.

Methods

Among 181 node-negative breast cancer (NNBC) patients, c-myc and HER-2/neu oncogenes were identified prospectively using double differential PCR. The possible impact of amplification of those oncogenes on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival was examined. Furthermore, the possible effects of adjuvant therapies on rate of recurrence and mortality in oncogene-amplified NNBC patients were investigated.

Results

The prevalence rates for amplification of c-myc and HER-2/neu were 21.5% and 30.4%, respectively. On univariate analysis, c-myc-amplified NNBCs were associated with significantly shorter DFS at 36 months after the initial diagnosis (85.3% versus 97.3%). As compared with nonamplified cancers, HER-2/neu-amplified NNBCs did not exhibit any significant differences after 36 months and 95 months. Multivariate analysis indicated that c-myc amplification and tumour size, in contrast to HER-2/neu amplification, oestrogen receptor status, grading and age, were the only independent parameters for DFS. During the period of observation, we found no evidence for an impact of amplification of the oncogenes on overall survival in all cases. With respect to various adjuvant systemic therapies such as chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil; fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide) and endocrine therapy (tamoxifen), no significant differences were identified in oncogene-amplified NNBC patients in terms of DFS and overall survival. However, those c-myc-amplified NNBC patients who did not receive adjuvant systemic therapy exhibited significantly shorter DFS and overall survival as compared with c-myc-nonamplified patients.

Conclusion

C-myc amplification appears to be a strong prognostic marker with which to predict early recurrence in NNBC patients. C-myc-amplified NNBC patients without adjuvant systemic therapy experienced shorter DFS and overall survival.
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Metadata
Title
C-myc, not HER-2/neu, can predict recurrence and mortality of patients with node-negative breast cancer
Authors
Claus M Schlotter
Ulf Vogt
Ulrich Bosse
Berthold Mersch
Katja Waβmann
Publication date
01-04-2003
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Breast Cancer Research / Issue 2/2003
Electronic ISSN: 1465-542X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/bcr568

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