HER3 and downstream pathways are involved in colonization of brain metastases from breast cancer.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Metastases to the brain from breast cancer have a high mortality, and basal-like breast cancers have a propensity for brain metastases. However, the mechanisms that allow cells to colonize the brain are unclear.

Methods

We used morphology, immunohistochemistry, gene expression and somatic mutation profiling to analyze 39 matched pairs of primary breast cancers and brain metastases, 22 unmatched brain metastases of breast cancer, 11 non-breast brain metastases and 6 autopsy cases of patients with breast cancer metastases to multiple sites, including the brain.

Results

Most brain metastases were triple negative and basal-like. The brain metastases over-expressed one or more members of the HER family and in particular HER3 was significantly over-expressed re

SUBMITTER: Da Silva L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2949633 | biostudies-literature | 2010

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature