Co-expression of HER3 and MUC1 is associated with a favourable prognosis in patients with bladder cancer.

Objectives: To investigate the functional impact of the interaction of MUC1 with the epidermal growth factor receptors HER3 and HER4 in patients with bladder cancer.

Patients And Methods: Using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we examined MUC1 expression in 82 bladder cancer biopsies previously examined for the expression of HER3.

Results: Patients expressing high MUC1 had a favourable survival when the expression of HER3 was also high compared with when the expression of HER3 was low (P = 0.004). When MUC1 expression was low, HER3 co-expression did not influence the prognostic value of MUC1 (P = 0.488). MUC1 expression had no correlation with survival, tumour stage or grade, or to the prognostic value of HER4.

Conclusions: A high MUC1 expression was associated with a favourable prognosis in patients with bladder cancer when the expression of HER3 was also high. This suggests an involvement of HER3 in MUC1 function in bladder cancer.