Overexpression of c-erbB-2 protein correlates with chromosomal gain at the c-erbB-2 locus and patient survival in advanced colorectal carcinomas.

Overexpression of the c-erbB-2 protein (also called HER-2/neu) is observed in a variety of malignancies including colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study we aimed to evaluate the rate of c-erbB-2 overexpression in our tumor collection and to clarify its correlation with the chromosomal status at the c-erbB-2 locus in CRC. Additionally we correlated the c-erbB-2 overexpression and the chromosomal gain of 17q with patient survival.