Prognostic effect of hormone receptor status in early HER2 positive breast cancer patients.

Background: This study was conducted to determine the prognostic effect hormone receptor (HR) status in early HER2 positive (HER2+) breast cancer patients, since it has not yet been established whether HR status can be used in the prognosis of patients with (HER2+) breast cancer.

Patients And Methods: We obtained data from 299 patients with early HER2+ breast cancer who underwent surgery and received standard adjuvant chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and/or radiation between 2000 and 2002 at the Instituto Nacional De Enfermedades Neoplasicas, Perú. Clinical and pathological features were compared.

Topoisomerase II-α as a predictive factor of response to therapy with anthracyclines in locally advanced breast cancer.

Background: Topoisomerase II-α is a molecular target of anthracyclines; several studies have suggested that topoisomerase II-α expression is related to response to anthracycline treatment. The objective of this study was to evaluate if topoisomerase II-α overexpression predicts response to anthracycline treatment in locally advanced breast cancer patients.

Material And Methods: Topoisomerase II-α, HER2, estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) expression were evaluated by immunohistochemistry in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded breast tumors from 111 patients presenting with locally advanced breast cancer between 1995 and 2002.