[Clinical significance of HER-2/neu expression in colon cancer].
OBJECTIVE
The HER-2/neu protein is involved in normal cell proliferation and tissue growth because it is extensively homologous and related to epidermal growth factor receptor. As a prognostic marker, HER-2/neu is used to forecast the clinical course and poor outcome in breast cancer. As a predictive marker, HER-2/neu is used to predict the therapeutic response to adjuvant chemotherapy and endocrine therapy in breast cancer. In this study, we investigated the relationships between clinical and pathologic characteristics of tumor and prognosis according to the HER-2/neu expression in colon cancer. This study was conducted for the future introduction of Herceptin therapy for colon cancer patients.


METHODS
Overexpression of HER-2/neu was examined by semiquantitative standardized immunohistochemical staining kit in 88 patients with colon cancer. The patients underwent curative surgery at the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital.


RESULTS
Overexpression of HER-2/neu was detected in 11 (12.5%) of 88 patients. Tumors with positive HER-2/neu staining showed a tendency for higher rates of nodal metastasis and poor mean survival (1,646 +/- 269 vs 2,631 +/- 141 days) and 5-year survival (65.5% vs 78.9%).


CONCLUSIONS
Tumors with positive HER-2/neu staining showed a tendency for higher rates for nodal metastasis and poor clinical survival rate.
Park
Dong Il
DI
Department of Internal Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Oh
Suk Joong
SJ
Park
Seung Ha
SH
Yun
Jung Won
JW
Kim
Hong Joo
HJ
Cho
Yong Kyun
YK
Sung
In Kyung
IK
Sohn
Chong Il
CI
Jeon
Woo Kyu
WK
Kim
Byung Ik
BI
Cho
Eun Yoon
EY
Kim
Eo-Jin
EJ
Chae
Seoung Wan
SW
Sohn
Jin Hee
JH
Kim
Jae J
JJ
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases