Her-2/neu expression in breast cancer--A comparison of different diagnostic methods.
BACKGROUND
Determination of Her-2/neu overexpression in breast cancer has previously been shown to be of prognostic significance. In this study, Her-2/neu expression in breast cancer was characterised by real-time PCR (RLT-PCR) based LightCycler-HER-2/neu DNA Quantification with immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH).


METHODS
Fifteen specimens of invasive breast cancer - whole tissue sections as well as microdissected tumour cells - were subjected to RLT-PCR. Additionally, IHC and FISH were performed.


RESULTS
Her-2/neu overexpression was detected by FISH and by real-time PCR in the same tumours. In contrast, IHC revealed discordant results.


CONCLUSIONS
Determination of Her-2/neu amplification by real-time PCR is a sensitive and specific method with some advantages over FISH. This method is simple and reliable and has the potential of categorizing those tumours with borderline Her-2/neu overexpression as determined by IHC.
Benöhr
P
P
Department of Nephrology and Rheumatology, University of Göttingen, Germany. pbenoeh@gwdg.de
Henkel
V
V
Speer
R
R
Vogel
U
U
Sotlar
K
K
Aydeniz
B
B
Reiser
A
A
Neubauer
H
H
Tabiti
K
K
Wallwiener
D
D
Clare
S E
SE
Kurek
R
R
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005784:Gene Amplification; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases