Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026
Optimization of a Multiplex RNA-based Expression Assay Using Breast Cancer Archival Material
Published on: August 1, 2018
Gene copy numbers of HER family in breast cancer
Anna Zaczek1, Marzena Wełnicka-Jaśkiewicz, Krzysztof Piotr Bielawski
1Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical University of Gdańsk, Debinki 7, 80-211 Gdańsk, Poland. azaczek@amg.gda.pl
Aim:
The aim of the study was to analyze the occurrence of abnormal gene copy numbers of all HER oncogenes and to correlate these alterations to other clinicopathological variables in a consecutive series of 225 breast cancer patients.
Methods:
Gene copy number of HER oncogenes was analyzed with double differential polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR). Statistical analysis was performed with a set of nonparametric tests.
Results:
Sixty-five percent of the tumors contained abnormal gene copy number of at least one HER oncogene. Alterations of at least two oncogenes were found in 31% of cases. The correlations between average gene copy numbers (AGCNs) of particular HER oncogenes were much stronger in node positive compared to node-negative tumors. Deletions of EGFR were associated with the lack of steroid hormone receptors. The HER3 and HER4 amplifications were more common in well differentiated tumors.
Conclusions:
Our results indicate a key role of HER heterodimers in tumor progression and confirm earlier data that HER2 is the preferred partner for other HER oncogenes in this process. Deletions of EGFR were associated with unfavorable characteristics, whereas HER3 and HER4 amplifications may be linked with less aggressive phenotypes.
Related Concept Videos
02:26Comparing Copy Number Variations and SNPs
Copy number variations or CNVs are the structural variations that cover more than 1kb of DNA sequence. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), on the other hand, is a single nucleotide change or a point mutation that is found in more than 1%...
01:33Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
01:05Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
01:05Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
02:37Gene Duplication and Divergence
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are characterized.