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Expressions of ER, PR, HER-2, COX-2, and VEGF in Primary and Relapsed/Metastatic Breast Cancers

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Abstract

In the present study, we evaluated expressions of estrogen receptor (ER), progestin receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in primary and relapsed/metastatic breast cancers to elucidate the clinical significance of these markers. The markers were evaluated by immunohistochemistry in specimens of 50 patients with primary or metastatic breast cancer. Positive rates of ER were significantly (p = 0.002) higher in primary versus relapsed/metastatic breast cancer (70 vs. 38 %, respectively). The VEGF positive expression rates were also significantly higher in primary versus metastatic cancer (82 vs. 38 %, respectively; p < 0.001). By contrast, positive rates of HER-2 and COX-2 were not significantly different between different types of cancer. COX-2 correlated with HER-2 expression in both primary and relapsed/metastatic focuses of breast cancer. COX-2 also correlated with VEGF expression in primary breast cancer. Expressions of ER, PR, HER2, and COX-2 did not correlate between primary and relapsed/metastatic breast cancers, indicating that the treatment decision should be made according to the status of these markers in relapsed/metastatic focuses. The total change rates of ER, PR, HER-2, COX-2, and VEGF were 26, 18, 10, 30, and 58 %, respectively. In conclusion, HER-2 and COX-2, along with VEGF, appear to play a role in the development and progression of breast cancer. In addition, all of the studied markers may serve as indicators of prognosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology, The Central Hospital of Xuzhou, The Cancer Institute of Southeast University, Xuzhou, 221009, Jiangsu, China

    Li Sun, San-Yuan Sun & Ling Wei

  2. Department of Oncologic Radiology, Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China

    Da-hai Yu

  3. Department of Thyroid Breast Surgery, The Central Hospital of Xuzhou, The Cancer Institute of Southeast University, Xuzhou, China

    Shi-Chao Zhuo

  4. Department of Pathology, The Central Hospital of Xuzhou, The Cancer Institute of Southeast University, Xuzhou, China

    Su-sheng Cao

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  1. Li Sun
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  2. Da-hai Yu
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  3. San-Yuan Sun
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  4. Shi-Chao Zhuo
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  5. Su-sheng Cao
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  6. Ling Wei
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Correspondence to San-Yuan Sun.

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Li Sun and Da-hai Yu have contributed equally to this study.

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Sun, L., Yu, Dh., Sun, SY. et al. Expressions of ER, PR, HER-2, COX-2, and VEGF in Primary and Relapsed/Metastatic Breast Cancers. Cell Biochem Biophys 68, 511–516 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12013-013-9729-y

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