title: Gonadotropic pituitary carcinoma: HER-2/neu expression and gene amplification. Report of two cases.
abstract: The authors report on two gonadotropic carcinomas of the adenohypophysis that occurred in a55-year-old man (Case 1) and a 53-year-old woman (Case 2), with signs of mass effect and amenorrhea, respectively. Both lesions were macroadenomas. The tumor in Case 1 metastasized to dura mater, skull, nasal sinus, and larynx 2 years after patient presentation, whereas that in Case 2 spread to vertebral bodies and ribs after a 19-year latency. Histologically, the primary, recurrent, and metastatic lesions in Case 1 featured brisk mitotic activity and high MIB-1 levels as well as p53 labeling indices. Immunoreactivity for HER-2/neu was assessable only in rare neoplastic cells of the second recurrence and in 80% of cells of the dural metastasis. Low-level HER-2/neu gene amplification was evident in the recurrent tumors and metastasis. The sellar and metastatic tumors in Case 2 resembled benign gonadotropic adenoma with oncocytic change; p53 accumulation, HER-2/neu overexpression, and HER-2/neu gene amplification were not present. The results indicate that low-level amplification of the HER-2/neu gene might be associated with pituitary carcinomas in which more aggressive behavior is seen. Further studies are needed to determine whether HER-2/neu plays a role in the pathogenesis of pituitary carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Roncaroli
authors.forename: Vania
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nosé
authors.forename: Bernd W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Scheithauer
authors.forename: Kalman
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kovacs
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Horvath
authors.forename: William F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Ricardo V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.forename: Mari C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bishop
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hsi
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fletcher
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification / Q000235:genetics*; D018734:Genes, erbB-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms; D010255:Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012888:Skull Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D006062:Gonadotropins