HER-2 overexpression is an independent marker of poor prognosis of advanced primary ovarian carcinoma: a multicenter study of the GINECO group.
BACKGROUND
Despite numerous studies, no biological marker has been identified that accurately predicts prognosis of advanced ovarian cancer. Tumors from a homogeneous population of 117 patients with a stage III/IV ovarian cancer, enrolled in a multicenter prospective GINECO clinical trial were analyzed retrospectively.


METHODS
All patients received the same platinum-based combination therapy and were followed-up for a median of 68 months. Tumor expression of Ki67, BCL-2, BAX, P53 or c-erbB-2 proteins was evaluated immunohistochemically on paraffin-embedded tissues and their prognostic impact analyzed.


RESULTS
The median rate of Ki67-positive nuclear area was 30%. BCL-2, BAX and P53 proteins were expressed in 52, 54 and 71% of the tumors, respectively, while HER-2 protein was overexpressed in 16%. Only HER-2 overexpression was significantly associated with shorter progression-free survival and overall survival. According to our multivariate analysis, the HER-2 prognostic impact was independent of classical clinical prognostic factors.


CONCLUSIONS
HER-2 appeared to influence the outcome of advanced ovarian cancer patients included in a clinical trial with prolonged follow-up, thereby suggesting that HER-2 is a potential target for treatment of this cancer.
Camilleri-Broët
S
S
Service d'Anatomie Pathologique and Service d'Oncologie, Hôtel-Dieu, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, UFR Paris VI, Paris, France. sophie.camilleri-broet@htd.ap-hop-paris.fr
Hardy-Bessard
A C
AC
Le Tourneau
A
A
Paraiso
D
D
Levrel
O
O
Leduc
B
B
Bain
S
S
Orfeuvre
H
H
Audouin
J
J
Pujade-Lauraine
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002945:Cisplatin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D015251:Epirubicin; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases