EGFR and breast cancer: 7 In addition, signaling from the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is suppressed in EGFR- or HER2-over-expressing breast cancer cells, with reduced downstream ERK1/2, JNK, and Akt activity.11,12 Importantly, apoptosis in response to curcumin appears to be far more pronounced in cancer cell lines versus non-tumorigenic breast epithelial cells.12,13