highly significantP<0.001
In our population, an overexpression of c-erbB-2 was observed in 17% of tumours but no significant relationship between c- erbB-2 and Nmel expression could be demonstrated. Furthermore, Nmel expression was independent of another metastasis predictive factor, cathepsin D levels, suggesting that the metastasis process involving Nmel protein could be different from that of cathepsin D. We have described here highly significant relationships between Nmel expression and metastasis-free survival (P<0.001) and specific survival (P<0.001).