title: HER-2/neu expression in extramammary Paget disease: a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemistry study of 47 cases with and without underlying malignancy.
abstract: Extramammary Paget disease (EMPD) is an infrequent skin cancer sometimes representing a secondary event caused by extension of an underlying carcinoma. Her-2/neu overexpression in breast cancer is correlated with a more aggressive behavior, but anti-Her-2/neu therapy improves survival in these patients. We investigated Her-2/neu expression by immunohistochemistry in cases of EMPD with and without underlying malignancy to try to correlate with tumor recurrence, progression and possible targeted therapy. Forty-seven cases were analyzed (6 from the scrotum, 7 perianal region, 1 axilla and 33 vulva). Two cases had invasive EMPD (one from vulva and one from scrotum). The overall Her-2/neu expression was 31.9%. Of the noninvasive EMPD of the vulva (32 cases), Her-2/neu was shown in 38%. The case of invasive vulvar EMPD was negative. All six scrotal EMPD lacked Her2/neu expression. Her-2/neu was expressed in two of seven perianal cases (33.3%). The EMPD on the axilla (one case) was negative. Eighteen cases had recurrence, and of these, 44.4% expressed Her-2/neu in the initial lesion. A high proportion of EMPD showed Her-2/neu expression (31.9%), indicating that these patients may benefit from targeted therapy. The proportion of positive cases was higher in lesions that had recurred at last follow up (44.4%), suggesting a more aggressive behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatopathology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030-4009, USA.
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Plaza
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Torres-Cabala
authors.forename: Doina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ivan
authors.forename: Victor G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Prieto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010145:Paget Disease, Extramammary / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human