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Clinical value of enzyme immunoassay of epidermal growth factor receptor in human breast cancer

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Summary

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr) levels were analyzed in 140 primary breast cancer specimens by immunohistochemical assay (ICA), competitive binding assay (BA), or enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Thirtynine of 118 specimens (33.1%) were scored as positive by ICA, 30 of 116 (25.9%: cut-off level 10 fmol/mg protein) by BA, and 31 of 80 (38.9%: cut-off level 5 fmol/mg protein) by EIA. Agreement on EGFr status was 72.3% (68/94) between ICA and BA, 77.0% (57/74) between BA and EIA, and 73.8% (59/80) between EIA and ICA. These discrepancies are based on assay differences and the heterogeneous distribution of cancer cells within specimens. Regardless of the assay method used, EGFr status had a significantly negative correlation with estrogen receptor status. Although EGFr-ICA and BA status had no relationship with prognosis, patients with medium and high EGFr-EIA level tumors (over 5 fmol/mg protein) had shorter relapse-free periods than those with low level tumors. However, the prognostic value of positive EGFr-EIA status was weaker than that ofc-erbB-2 overexpression.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Second Department of Surgery, Nagoya City University Medical School, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, 467, Nagoya, Japan

    Hirotaka Iwase, Shunzo Kobayashi, Yukashi Itoh, Tatsuya Kuzushima, Hiroko Yamashita, Hiroji Iwata, Akihiro Naito, Toshinari Yamashita, Kazuko Itoh & Akira Masaoka

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  1. Hirotaka Iwase
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  2. Shunzo Kobayashi
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  3. Yukashi Itoh
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  4. Tatsuya Kuzushima
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  5. Hiroko Yamashita
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  6. Hiroji Iwata
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  7. Akihiro Naito
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  8. Toshinari Yamashita
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  9. Kazuko Itoh
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  10. Akira Masaoka
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Iwase, H., Kobayashi, S., Itoh, Y. et al. Clinical value of enzyme immunoassay of epidermal growth factor receptor in human breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Tr 28, 215–221 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00666582

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