ABSTRACT
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and estrogen receptor (ER) status were immunohistochemically evaluated in 80 primary ductal breast carcinomas. The comparison between EGFR status and tumor grading, tumor size, lymph node involvement and age of patients was performed. EGFR expression was found in 87.5% of carcinoma samples and 46.3% of tumors were positive for ER staining. The inverse relationship between EGFR and ER expression was confirmed and it was evident that a high concentration of EGFR exceeding 25% of a tissue section may inhibit or significantly limit the ability to express ERs. EGFR presence was significantly associated with poorly differentiated tumors. No correlation was found between EGFR positivity and tumor size, lymph node involvement or age of patients. Our results indicate that EGFR status does not seem to be a valuable independent prognostic indicator, but that the combination of EGFR positivity (above 25% of a tissue section) accompanied by a low or undetectable level of ER expression should be considered as a potential marker of a poor prognosis in patients with ductal breast carcinoma.
Caveolin-1 Expression in Benign and Malignant Breast Lesions and Its Correlation with Expression of Estrogen Receptor (ER), Progesterone Receptor (PR), and Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2), Lymph Node Metastasis, Tumor Grade, and Survival of the Patients