ONCOmmunity

Co-expression of HER3 and MUC1 is associated with a favourable prognosis in bladder cancer patients.

By: Trine Ostergaard Nielsen, Michael Borre, Ebba Nexo, Boe Sandahl Sorensen

Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital of Aarhus, Norrebrogade 44, Bldg. 9, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
2013-12-18; doi: 10.1111/bju.12658

Abstract

Objectives

To investigate the functional impact of the interaction of MUC1 with the EGF receptors HER3 and HER4 in bladder cancer patients.

Patients

Using RT-qPCR, we examined MUC1 expression in bladder cancer biopsies (n = 82) previously examined for the expression of HER3.

Results

Patients expressing high MUC1 show a favourable survival when the expression of HER3 is also high compared to when the expression of HER3 is low (p = 0.0037). When MUC1 expression is low, HER3 co-expression does not influence the prognostic value of MUC1 (p = 0.4884). MUC1 expression shows no correlation with survival, tumour stage or tumour grade or to the prognostic value of HER4.

Conclusion

A high MUC1 expression is associated to a favourable prognosis in bladder cancer patients when the expression of HER3 is also high. This suggests an involvement of HER3 in MUC1 function in bladder cancer.