Prognostic significance of C-erbB-2 and hormone receptors' status in human benign and malignant breast lesions.

In order to investigate the prognostic significance of c-erbB-2, estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PgR), an immunohistochemical staining was performed on 330 tissue sections from paraffin blocks of 50 fibrocystic diseases and 40 ductal adenocarcinomas N.O.S. type, grade II (20 with lymph node metastases (L.N.M)). The positivity for c-erbB-2 was considered only in the cytoplasmic membrane, while for ER and PgR in the nucleus of epithelial cells. All markers showed a heterogenous pattern of staining. Our results imply that benign lesions were negative for c-erbB-2 and hormone receptors except for limited areas with papillary proliferations. Elevated expression of these markers was noted in the adenocarcinomas. No significant difference was observed between the percentage of all markers in primaries and L.N.M. lesions. Hormone receptors' status showed no significant correlation with c-erbB-2 expression. Our results suggest that c-erbB-2, ER and PgR, especially when combined with clinicopathological parameters, may show some prognostic usefulness in breast disease.