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The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane glycoprotein whose expression is important in the regulation of breast cancer cell growth. The relationship between EGFR status (determined by an immunocytochemical assay) and various prognostic factors was investigated in 164 primary breast cancers. Overall 56% of tumours were EGFR-positive and the expression of EGFR was unrelated to axillary node status, tumour size and histological grade; and it was poorly associated with the tumour proliferative activity measured by Ki-67 immuno-cytochemistry. The relapse-free survival (RFS) probability at 3-years was significantly worse for patients with EGFR positive tumours (P = 0.003) and for those whose Ki-67 score was > 7.5% (P = 0.0027), as well as in patients with axillary node involvement (P = 0.01) and with poorly differentiated tumours (P = 0.04). Immunocytochemical determination of EGFR and cell kinetics gave superimposable prognostic information for predicting RFS with odds ratios of 3.51, when evaluated singly. In our series of patients EGFR, Ki-67 and node status retain their prognostic value concerning RFS in multivariate analysis. The 3-year probability of overall survival (OS) was significantly better in node-negative patients (P = 0.04) and was similar in EGFR-positive and negative patients. In conclusion, EGFR status appears to be a significant and independent indicator of recurrence in human breast cancer and the concomitant measurement of the tumour proliferative activity seems to improve the selection of patients with different risks of recurrence.

Gli autori utilizzano una tecnica di radiochirurgia con acceleratore lineare dal 1982. La tecnica è basata su irradiazioni multiple ad archi intersecantisi focalizzate stereotassicamente su un bersaglio.Dopo che una valutazione meccanica e dosimetrica ha dimostrato la validità della procedura, la tecnica è stata impiegata su un gruppo selezionato di pazienti. Dal novembre 1982 al marzo 1988 sono stati trattati 155 casi. Tra loro 72 erano affetti da malformazioni arterovenose cerebrali, 16 da gliomi a bassa malignità, 8 da neurinoma dell'acustico, 8 da meningiomi e 11 da tumori maligni radiosensibili: in questi gruppi di pazienti la tecnica si è dimostrata sicura ed efficace. I risultati vengono paragonati a quelli ottenuti con la Gamma Unit di Leksell e col Ciclotrone di Kjellberg.

The study on vitreous lithium silicates has been carried out within the framework of general research on the structure of simple or multicomponent glasses by means of neutron diffraction, after a study on pure silica and on the soda-silica system.

“Evaluating the Potential Usefulness of New Prognostic and Predictive Indicators in Node-Negative Breast Cancer Patients,” by G. Gasparini, F. Pozza, and A. L. Harris J Natl Cancer Inst 85:1206–1219, 1993 (Issue 15). Lines 22–25 of Table 4, column four, (page 1212) should read as follows: “To verify if the study arm treated with adjuvant therapy on the basis of the new indicator obtains a significant improvement in relapse-free survival and/or overall survival.” The Journal regrets the error.