Significance and expression of c-erBb-2, p53, and caspase-3 in breast cancer tissue in different age groups

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the expression of c-erBb-2, p53, and caspase-3 in breast cancer tissue in different age groups. Materials and Methods: One hundred seventy-two patients with breast cancer were divided into two groups by age (≤ 35 and ≥ 40 years). Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to detect the expression of c-erBb-2, p53, and caspase-3 in the tumor tissue from the patients. The authors compared the expression levels between the two groups. Results: In 90 young women with breast cancer, the positive expression rate of c-erBb-2, p53, and caspase-3 was 41.1% (37/90), 67.8% (61/90), and 35.6% (32/90), respectively, and it was 23.2% (19/82), 40.8% (39/82), and 57.3% (47/82), respectively, in the older patients. In the young group, the expression of caspase-3 was significantly lower (p < 0.05) and the expression of c-erbB-2 and p53 were significantly higher (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The biological behavior of breast cancer and apoptosis is associated with the expression of p53 and c-erbB-2; thus, more attention should be paid to the expression of cell apoptotic factors when treating and assessing the prognosis of patients with breast cancer.

Breast cancer; Apoptotic factor; Immunohistochemical assay; Prognosis.

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