title: Evaluation of the circulating fraction of the HER-2/neu oncogene in patients with cervical cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate circulating HER-2/neu in cervical cancer patients prior to and following treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Controls, and patients with either cervical dysplasia or cancer taken from an active gynecologic oncology service were evaluated for the expression of HER-2/neu in serum by ELISA before and following surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or combinations thereof. The resulant data was then evaluated for significance by either ANOVA or non-parametric testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean differences were noted for patients with cervical cancer compared to controls. Patients with a good response to the chemotherapy indicated an increase in the serum oncogene, while those not responding either had no marked change or decreased the level of serum HER-2/neu.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As serum HER-2/neu is a membrane bound portion of the intact molecule, these results suggest that due to the induction of cell death and breakdown, the liberation of this fraction (increased levels in the serum), is a viable indicator of response to treatment in some patients. A more detailed examination of this possibility along with expanded correlation with tissue expression is required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Texas Tech Health Science Center, Lubbock TX 79430, USA.
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Contreras
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cobos
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Lox
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases