HER-2/neu overexpression and hormone dependency in endometrial cancer: analysis of cohort and review of literature.
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.
Mariani
Andrea
A
Section of Gynecologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
Sebo
Thomas J
TJ
Katzmann
Jerry A
JA
Riehle
Darren L
DL
Dowdy
Sean C
SC
Keeney
Gary L
GL
Lesnick
Timothy G
TG
Podratz
Karl C
KC
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*
D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone