title: HER2 status in non-small cell lung cancer: results from patient screening for enrollment to a phase II study of herceptin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  For the first time a large number (563) of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) samples was used to compare three different technologies for the assessment of HER2 status. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used for tumor tissue samples, and ELISA for serum samples. The results were compared with other tumor entities, mainly breast.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples (563) from patients suffering from primary advanced or metastatic NSCLC were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HER2 overexpression was demonstrated using IHC in 20% (83 of 410) of the specimens, whereas 2% (7 of 378) were positive by FISH and 6% (31 of 511) showed elevated serum HER2 levels (>15 ng/ml) by ELISA. Sixty-six specimens were positive by IHC only and 13 by ELISA only, whereas none of the specimens was positive only by FISH. Concordance between all of the techniques was seen for only 3 specimens. Of 7 IHC 3+ specimens, 4 showed gene amplification by FISH, and 3 were positive by ELISA (>15 ng/ml), whereas of 76 IHC 2+ cases only 2 were amplified by FISH, and 4 were positive by ELISA. HER2 positivity by at least one of the three techniques was most common in adenocarcinomas, at 29% (42 of 143).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gene amplification and HER2 protein overexpression at the 3+ level appear to be uncommon in NSCLC. The concordance between FISH and IHC 3+ disease was good in this study, in addition, ELISA would have detected several patients without IHC/FISH-positive disease.
authors: Institut für Pathologie, Klinikum Kassel, D-34125 Kassel, Germany. pheinmoeller@klinikum-kassel.de
authors: Petra
authors: P
authors: Heinmöller
authors: Christof
authors: C
authors: Gross
authors: Kurt
authors: K
authors: Beyser
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Schmidtgen
authors: Gerd
authors: G
authors: Maass
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Pedrocchi
authors: Josef
authors: J
authors: Rüschoff
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018287:Carcinoma, Large Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018734:Genes, erbB-2 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008403:Mass Screening; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D000068878:Trastuzumab
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000068878:Trastuzumab