title: HER-2/neu overexpression and hormone dependency in endometrial cancer: analysis of cohort and review of literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Overexpression of HER-2/neu (HER) is associated with unfavorable prognoses in both endometrial and breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  To determine whether an association exists between HER expression and markers of hormone dependency in endometrial cancers, we subjected hysterectomy specimens from 125 patients to immunohistochemical staining for HER. HER was visually interpreted as negative/weakly positive (HER-) versus strongly positive (HER+). Estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) levels were quantitated on fresh tissue using a dextran-coated charcoal assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HER+ was observed in 12% of endometrioid tumors and 22% of nonendometrioid tumors (p = 0.07). Mean ER and PR levels were 255 fmol/mg and 457 fmol/mg in endometrioid tumors, compared with 74 and 104 in nonendometrioid tumors (p < 0.01). Hyperplasia associated with the tumor was related to high levels of both ER and PR (p < 0.05), but not with HER expression. Age was significantly related to high levels of ER (p = 0.007). Both recurrence and death rates were significantly associated with low levels of ER and PR (p < 0.01). Mean ER and PR levels were 270 and 466 fmol/mg, respectively, in HER-tumors, compared with 95 (p = 0.14) and 138 fmol/mg (p = 0.02) in HER+ tumors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HER overexpression may be an important step in hormone-independent growth and proliferation in a subgroup of endometrial cancers.
authors.affiliation: Section of Gynecologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mariani
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Sebo
authors.forename: Jerry A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Katzmann
authors.forename: Darren L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Riehle
authors.forename: Sean C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Dowdy
authors.forename: Gary L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Keeney
authors.forename: Timothy G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Lesnick
authors.forename: Karl C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Podratz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone