title: Determination of her-2/neu by chromogenic in situ hybridization on borderline (2+) immunohistochemistry cases in carcinoma breast.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the HER-2/neu status by chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) on tissue specimens with a borderline (2+) immunohistochemistry (IHC) score in carcinoma breast by a descriptive, cross-sectional study in the Histopathology Department, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), Rawalpindi from Jun 2008 to Dec 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue block specimens from 50 consecutive patients having HER-2/neu score of borderline (2+) on IHC assay were tested for HER-2/neu gene amplification by CISH. Mean and standard deviation were calculated for quantitative variables like age and HER-2/neu gene copy signal/clusters by using SPSS version 14. Frequencies and percentages were also calculated for qualitative variables like type of carcinoma and results of HER-2/neu by CISH (amplified/nonamplified).
  
  
  RESULTS
  HER-2/neu gene amplification by CISH was found in 10 (20%) out of 50 patients with borderline (2+) IHC score. All CISH amplified cases belonged to invasive ductal carcinoma type. No significant correlation was noted between type of carcinoma and HER-2/neu gene amplification.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) is a practical, cost-effective and reliable method for analysis of HER-2/neu borderline (2+) cases which may be candidates for Herceptin therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. asifwahab2010@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asif
authors.forename: Muhammad Tahir
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Khadim
authors.forename: Sajid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mushtaq
authors.forename: Nadira
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mamoon
authors.forename: Farhan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Akhtar
authors.forename: Zafar
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ali
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002863:Chromogenic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008875:Middle Aged; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D002863:Chromogenic Compounds; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000068878:Trastuzumab; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human