title: HER2 in solid tumors: more than 10 years under the microscope; where are we now?
abstract: HER2 is a well-recognized mediator of the cancerogenic process. It is dysregulated in a wide range of solid tumors, mainly via protein overexpression and/or gene amplification, thus making HER2 an attractive target for tailored treatment. The anti-HER2 therapy trastuzumab was approved for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients more than 10 years ago. Since then, trastuzumab and other HER2-inhibitors have been entered into clinical practice for the treatment of breast cancer and, more recently, have been approved to treat HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancers. Currently, HER2-targeted therapies are under evaluation in other tumor types. Due to the relevance of proper patient selection, the accurate assessment of HER2 status is fundamental. This review will discuss the established knowledge and novel insights into the HER2 story, mainly focusing on breast, gastric and colorectal cancers, as well as providing a brief overview of salivary gland, bladder, ovarian and lung tumors.
authors: Institute of Pathology, Via in Selva 24, 6600 Locarno, Switzerland.
authors: Vittoria
authors: V
authors: Martin
authors: Federico
authors: F
authors: Cappuzzo
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Mazzucchelli
authors: Milo
authors: M
authors: Frattini
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009154:Mutation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases
keywords: FISH; HER2; breast cancer; colorectal cancer; gastric cancer; immunohistochemistry; solid tumors; targeted therapies