High expression of ERBB2 is an independent risk factor for reduced recurrence-free survival in patients with stage T1 non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Molecular markers associated with breast cancer are assumed to be associated with outcome in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

We retrospectively investigated the association of the mRNA expression of estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) and 2 (ESR2), progesterone receptor (PGR), MKI67, and HER2 (ERBB2) with recurrence-free (RFS), cancer-specific (CSS), and overall survival (OS) in 80 patients with stage T1 NMIBC.

High expression of ESR2 (P = 0.003), ERBB2 (P < 0.001), and MKI67 (P = 0.029) was associated with shorter RFS. Only high ERBB2 was an independent prognostic factor for reduced RFS (HR = 2.98; P = 0.009). When sub stratifying the cohort, high ESR2 was associated with reduced RFS (P < 0.001), CSS (P = 0.037) and OS (P = 0.006) in patients without instillation therapy. High ESR2 was associated with reduced CSS (P = 0.018) and OS (P = 0.029) in females and with shorter RFS in both sexes (males: P = 0.035; females: P = 0.010). Patients with high ERBB2 showed reduced CSS (P = 0.011) and OS (P = 0.042) in females and reduced CSS (P = 0.012) in those without instillation, while RFS was significantly reduced irrespective of sex or instillation.

High mRNA expression of ERBB2 is an independent predictor of reduced RFS in patients with stage T1 NMIBC. High ERBB2 and ESR2 are associated with reduced outcomes, especially in females and patients without instillation therapy.

Urologic oncology. 2021 Jul 27 [Epub ahead of print]

Danijel Sikic, Markus Eckstein, Veronika Weyerer, Jennifer Kubon, Johannes Breyer, Florian Roghmann, Frank Kunath, Bastian Keck, Philipp Erben, Arndt Hartmann, Ralph M Wirtz, Bernd Wullich, Helge Taubert, Sven Wach

Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: ., Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany; Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany., Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany., Department of Urology, University of Regensburg, Caritas St. Josef Medical Center, Regensburg, Germany., Department of Urology, Marien Hospital Herne, Ruhr University Bochum, Herne, Germany., Department of Urology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany., STRATIFYER Molecular Pathology GmbH, Cologne, Germany.