Overexpression of Her-2/neu may be an indicator of poor prognosis in prostate cancer.
Previous reports have shown that Her-2/neu oncogene expression in human breast cancer and ovarian cancer may be associated with poorer prognosis. We report the expression of Her-2/neu on fresh samples of known prostatic adenocarcinoma but not on those of benign prostatic hypertrophy. Using a monoclonal antibody (TA1) directed against human Her-2/neu oncogene product and an immunohistochemical staining method, no Her-2/neu expression was noted with benign prostatic hypertrophy (15 samples). With prostatic adenocarcinoma samples, a subset (9 of 25) showed overexpression of Her-2/neu. Such overexpression is correlated with higher histological grade, higher stage of disease, and high S phase and aneuploidy on flow cytometric analysis. These findings suggest that Her-2/neu may be a prognostic marker in prostate cancer as well.
Sadasivan
R
R
Division of Medical Oncology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66103.
Morgan
R
R
Jennings
S
S
Austenfeld
M
M
Van Veldhuizen
P
P
Stephens
R
R
Noble
M
M
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D011379:Prognosis; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases
D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases