The significance of expression of p16 and c-erbB-2 gene in breast cancer / 中国普通外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the relationship between the clinicopathological factors, prognosis and the expression of p16 and c erbB 2 protein in primary breast cancer. Methods The expression of p16 and c erbB 2 by immunohistochemical method was observed in 50 patients with primary breast cancer and the detection of p16 by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and the point mutation of p16 by PCR single strand conformational polymorphism(SSCP) were detected in 20 patients with breast cancer. Results Among the cancers, positive expression of p16 protein was found in 17(34.00%) cases, c erbB 2 protein positive expression in 24(48.00%) cases. No homozygous deletion in p16 gene was found. However, exon2 point mutation of p16 gene was found in 1 of 20 breast cancer. The results showed no relationship between p16 expression and clinicopathological factor or prognosis. Positive expressions of c erbB 2 protein were often found in breast cancer with lymph node metastasis(P=0.0237) with a poor 5 year survivalrate(P=0.0169). There was no consistent relationship between the expression of p16 and c erbB 2 protein. Neither p16 nor c erbB 2 protein expression could be as an independent prognostic factor. Conclusions The patients with breast cancer of positive expression of c erbB 2 protein has a high lymph node metastasis rate and a poor survival rate. The point mutation rate of p16 gene is lower in primary breast cancer, and it can be a molecular events in advanced primary breast cancer.