Background: The BRCA1 caretaker gene is associated with poor prognostic features in hereditary breast cancer and may also play a role in sporadic breast cancer (SBC). HER-1 and HER-2 overexpression is associated with adverse prognosis in SBC. We studied whether BRCA1 expression was associated with HER1, HER2 and other prognostic features in SBC.
Patients and methods: Fifty newly-diagnosed SBC patients were studied for prognostic features and immunohistochemical expressions of BRCA1, HER-1 and HER-2.
Results: Tumors were positive for BRCA1 in 26%, HER-1 in 32% and HER-2 in 20% of cases. Lack of BRCA1 expression was associated with node metastases and decreased estrogen receptor. HER-2 expression was associated with young age, HER-1, Ki67 and decreased hormone receptors. No correlation was observed between BRCA1 and HER-1 or HER-2.
Conclusion: In SBC, the lack of BRCA1 expression was associated with poor prognostic features, but unrelated to HER-1 and HER-2. HER2 and HER-1 were, however, highly correlated.