Epidermal growth factor receptors and prognosis in primary breast cancer

A retrospective study was performed on 109 human breast tumors stored in liquid nitrogen in order to assess the prognostic value of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) (median patient follow-up 5 years). A significant inverse relationship was observed between EGF-R and both estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR). Univariate analysis showed a trend towards a shorter metastasis-free survival both in the overall population and in node-negative patients with EGF-R positive tumors. Multivariate analysis of the overall population showed that lymph-node involvement and PR status were the only significant variables in predicting metastasis-free survival. However, in patients receiving no adjuvant treatment (hormone therapy or chemotherapy). EGF was the only significant variable in the multivariate Cox analysis. No c-erbB-1 amplification was detected in these tumors.