Background:
Recently, the extracellular domain of the c-erbb-2 oncogene product (her-2/neu) has been reported to be elevated in the serum of one-fourth of patients with metastatic breast carcinoma. the role of serum c-erbb-2 as a tumor marker, however, is still poorly defined. the purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of serial serum c-erbb-2 levels as a tumor marker in patients with metastatic breast carcinoma.
Methods:
C-erbb-2 levels in the sera of patients with breast carcinoma were determined by an enzyme immunoassay that detects the extracellular domain of c-erbb-2. serum c-erbb-2 levels were evaluated prior to treatment as well as throughout the course of treatment with second-line hormonal therapy employing either megestrol acetate or fadrozole, an experimental aromatase inhibitor.
Results:
Fifty-eight of 300 patients (19.3%) had elevated pretreatment serum c-erbb-2 levels. of these 58 patients with elevated pretreatment c-erbb-2, 48 had more than 1 visit which enabled us to quantitate serial c-erbb-2 levels throughout the course of treatment. of these 48 patients, 28 (58.3%) had serial c-erbb-2 values that correlated with the clinical course.
Conclusions:
Serial serum c-erbb-2 levels did not show a high overall correlation with the clinical course in this group of patients with metastatic breast carcinoma treated with second-line hormonal therapy.