Dual colour flow cytometry of p53 and c-erbB-2 expression related to DNA aneuploidy in primary and metastatic breast cancer

Cancer Lett. 1992 Oct 21;66(3):193-200. doi: 10.1016/0304-3835(92)90247-s.

Abstract

DNA aneuploidy and p53 or c-erbB-2 expression were simultaneously measured in 29 breast tumours by two-colour flow cytometry. (i) The majority of tumours had some cells expressing either p53 (5-68%) or c-erbB-2 (1-56%). (ii) Expression of p53 and c-erbB-2 was observed mainly in the aneuploid population of mixed aneuploid and diploid tumours but there was no significant correlation with a specific DNA index. Aneuploid tumours contained higher percentages of c-erbB-2 positive cells (average 25%) than purely diploid tumours (average 15%) but this just failed to reach significance (P = 0.074). No relevant trends were noted for p53 expression. (iii) Significantly increased c-erbB-2 expression was observed in stage 2 tumours (26%) compared to stage 1 tumours (12%) (P = 0.001) with no trend evident for p53 expression. (iv) The metastatic tumour in the axillary node contained similar or slightly higher percentages of positive cells than the matched primary tumour.

MeSH terms

  • Aneuploidy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / surgery
  • DNA, Neoplasm / analysis
  • DNA, Neoplasm / genetics*
  • Female
  • Genes, p53*
  • Humans
  • Lymph Node Excision
  • Lymphatic Metastasis
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / analysis
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / analysis*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogenes*
  • Receptor, ErbB-2
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / analysis*
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics

Substances

  • DNA, Neoplasm
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Receptor, ErbB-2