title: Lack of prognostic significance of C-erbB-2 expression in low- and high- grade astrocytomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Astrocytic tumors, the most common primary glial tumors of the central nervous system, are classified from low to high grade according to the degree of anaplasia and presence of necrosis. Despite advances in therapeutic management of high grade astrocytic tumors, prognosis remains poor. In the present study, the frequency and prognostic significance of c-erb-B2 in astrocytic tumors was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Records of 72 patients with low- and high-grade astrocytic tumors were evaluated. The expression of C-erbB-2 was determined immunohistochemically and intensity was recorded as 0 to 3+. Tumors with weak staining (1+) or no staining (0) were considered Her-2 negative, while tumors with moderate (2+) and strong (3+) staining were considered Her-2 positive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 72 patients, 41 (56.9%) had glioblastoma (GBM), 10 (13.9%) had diffuse astrocytoma, 15 (20.8%) had anaplastic astrocytoma, 6 (8.3%) had pilocytic astrocytoma. C-erbB-2 overexpression was detected in the tumor specimens of 17 patients (23.6%). Six (8.3%) tumors, all GBMs, exhibited strong staining, 2 (2.7%) specimens, both GBMs, exhibited moderate staining, and 9 specimens, 5 of them GBMs (12.5%), exhibited weak staining. No staining was observed in diffuse astrocytoma and pilocytic astrocytoma specimens. Median overall survival of patients with C-erbB-2 negative and C-erbB-2 positive tumors were 30 months (95%CI: 22.5-37.4 months) and 16.9 months (95%CI: 4.3-29.5 months), respectively (p=0.244).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although there was no difference in survival, C-erbB-2 overexpression was observed only in the GBM subtype.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Baskent, Adana, Turkey E-mail : smuallaoglu@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Saik
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muallaoglu
authors.forename: Ali Ayberk
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Besen
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ata
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mertsoylu
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arican
authors.forename: Fazilet
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kayaselcuk
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozyilkan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000708:Anaplasia; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human