Response And Prognostic Impact Of The Concentration Of HER-2/neu Extracellular Domain (ECD) In The Serum Of Patients Treated With Chemotherapy For Metastatic Breast Cancer

【Objective】(1)To compare serus HER-2/neu protein level of prechemotherapy is in accordance or not with tissue HER-2/neu status in metastatic breast cancer.(2)We want to know whether serus HER-2/neu protein level before chemotherapy can influence the response of chemotherapy.(3)And to study the relationship between the change of the concentration of serus HER-2/neu protein level after chemotherapy and response of chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer patients.(4)And also to know whether serus HER-2/neu protein level before chemotherapy can influence survival of the patients.【Methods】The serum HER-2/neu protein of 66 advanced breast cancer patients before chemotherapy and after two cycles chemotherapy were detected with the method of ELISA.The treatment for metastatic breast cancer select first-line chemotherapy in the basis of adjuvant chemotherapy.The association of serum HER-2/neu before chemotherapy and HER-2/neu overexpression of corresponding primary tumors,response and TTP was studied.Besides,We also analyzed the relationship between the change of the concentration of HER-2/neu protein after chemotherapy and response of chemotherapy.【Results】(1)HER-2/neu ECD levels correlate with HER-2/neu overexpression of corresponding primary tumors(p＜0.0001).(2)The concentration of serus HER-2/neu before chemotherapy is not correlated with response of chemotherapy(p=0.731).(3)In addition,a decrease of serus HER-2/neu ECD concentrations from 33.97ng/ml to 22.11ng/ml after two courses of therapy is associated with response to therapy(p＜0.0001).(4)And the survival of patients who serum levels of HER-2/neu ECD are elevated before chemotherapy is shorter than who serum levels of HER-2/neu ECD are normal before chemotherapy(6.0m VS 7.4m),and is possible correlated with shorter time to progression(TTP)(p=0.064).【Conclusion】(1)HER-2/neu ECD levels correlate with HER-2/neu overexpression of corresponding primary tumors,and can be used as an alternative to tissue HER-2 status.(2)Serus HER-2/neu protein level before chemotherapy can not influence the response of chemotherapy.(4)The change of serus HER-2/neu protein level during therapy is significantly associated with response of therapy;And serum HER-2/neu levels can be used as a tumor marker to monitor the response of chemotherepy during therapy.(4)Elevated serus HER-2/neu protein level before chemotherapy may be a factor of poor prognostic.