title: Determination of HER-2/Neu status in hepatocellular carcinoma cases.
abstract: Specific chromosome abnormalities and genetic changes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been demonstrated by conventional cytogenetic studies or molecular cytogenetic approaches like comparative genomic hybridization and loss of heterozygosity analyses. HER-2/Neu amplification and expression has been studied as a molecular target for treatment of HCC, and there are conflicting results. We aimed to determine HER-2/Neu status in archive materials of HCC patients by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Among the 35 patients, 2 had HER-2/Neu amplification and 3 had increased chromosome 17 copy number. All these patients had grade 2 or 3 tumor with a diameter of 3-12 cm. We conclude that although HER-2/Neu amplification is not the primary mechanism in the development of liver tumors, it might play a role in one of the steps of multistage carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aysegül
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bacaksiz
authors.forename: Feride Iffet
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Banu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bilezikci
authors.forename: Zerrin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002886:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17 / Q000235:genetics; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D018734:Genes, erbB-2; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases