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Jäger, Bernadette A. S.; Finkenzeller, Charlotte; Bock, Carolin; Majunke, Leonie; Jueckstock, Julia K.; Andergassen, Ulrich; Neugebauer, Julia K.; Pestka, Aurelia; Friedl, Thomas W. P.; Jeschke, Udo; Janni, Wolfgang; Doisneau-Sixou, Sophie F. and Rack, Brigitte K. (2015): Estrogen Receptor and HER2 Status on Disseminated Tumor Cells and Primary Tumor in Patients with Early Breast Cancer. In: Translational Oncology, Vol. 8, No. 6: pp. 509-516 [PDF, 493kB]

Abstract

BACKGROUND: We evaluated both estrogen receptor (ER) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status on disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in the bone marrow of 54 patients with early breast cancer and compared these with the corresponding primary tumor (PT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bone marrow aspirates were obtained at the time of first surgery, and ER and HER2 status on DTCs was assessed simultaneously by immunocytochemistry using a triple fluorescence staining method. RESULTS: The median number of DTCs was 13 (range 1-95). The concordance rate between ER status on DTC and PT was 74%. Patients with an ER-positive PT were significantly more likely to have at least one ER-positive DTC (34 out of 42) than patients with an ER-negative PT (6 out of 12;P =.031). Thirty-nine (93%) of the 42 patients with ER-positive PT had at least one ER-negative DTC. The concordance rate between HER2 status on DTC and PT was 52%. The probability of having at least one HER2-positive DTC was not related to the HER2 status of the PT (P = 0.56). Twenty-two (46%) of the 48 patients with a HER2-negative PT had at least one HER2-positive DTC. All the six patients with a HER2-positive PT had at least one HER2-negative DTC. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our study confirms that ER and/ or HER2 status may differ between DTC and PT. This discordance could be important for patients lacking ER or HER2 expression on the PT but showing ER-positive or HER2-positive DTC because they might benefit from an endocrine and/or HER2-targeted therapy.

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