This research explores the role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in the clinical symptoms and metastasis of patients with invasive breast cancer (IBC). A total of 189 patients with IBC were selected in this research. Immunohistochemical staining and Western blot were performed to detect EGFR in IBC and paratumor breast tissues. The results of statistical analysis showed that the positive expression of EGFR in IBC (140/189 = 74.07%) was significantly higher than that of paratumor breast tissues (23/189 = 12.16%) (P < 0.01). There was no significant correlation between the expression of EGFR and patients' onset age as well as menopausal status (P > 0.05), but it was significantly correlated with the diameter of tumor mass, lymph node metastasis, TNM staging, and histological gradation (P < 0.05). The positive expression of EGFR in estrogen receptor (ER)-negative group (64 tissues, 84.2%) was significantly higher than that in ER-positive group (76 tissues, 67.3%) (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the positive expression of EGFR between progesterone receptor (PR)-positive group (73 tissues, 73.0%) and PR-negative group (67 tissues, 75.3%) (P > 0.05). The positive expression of EGFR in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive group (67 tissues, 84.8%) was significantly higher than that in HER2-negative group (73 tissues, 66.4%), with a significant difference (P < 0.05). The high expression of EGFR can be used to predict the severity of IBC, as well as the candidate biomarkers of metastasis, and it may also be associated with poor prognosis of IBC patients.
Keywords: epidermal growth factor receptor; invasive breast cancer; paratumor breast tissues; positive expression.