c-erbB-2 oncoprotein over-expression in breast cancer and its relationship to histology and grade in a Ugandan population

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate c-erbB-2 oncoprotein over expression in breast cancer patients of Kyadondo county and also relate this oncoprotein to histological type and grade of the tumour. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Makerere University. Subjects: Seventy two breast cancer patients who were among the 174 entered in survival study had their paraffin breast tissue blocks retrieved from archives of Pathology Department and had their c-erbB-2 determined by peroxidase-labeled streptavidin-biotin immunohistochemical method. Results: c-erbB-2 oncoprotein was over expressed in 33.3% of the tumours and correlated positively with histological grade (p = 0.007). TH oncoprotein over expression was not restricted to any particular histological type and there was no association with age of patient. Conclusion: The over expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein observed in one third of breast cancer patients of this African population could partly explain the observed poor survival rate reported in this community.