ERBB2 and breast neoplasm: Characteristics repeatedly associated with an increased BM risk include young age, oestrogen receptor-negative tumours and advanced stage at primary diagnosis (Palmieri et al, 2006; Lin and Winer, 2007), whereas the potential predictive value of HER-2 (expressed in 20–30% of breast tumours) is more uncertain (Palmieri et al, 2006).