title: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 expression in breast cancer: correlation with clinical pathological features.
abstract: The overexpressed HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) is a valuable therapeutic target. Precise assessment of HER2 status is thus crucial in the treatment of breast cancer. In this study, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples of tumors from 304 breast cancer patients who underwent curative surgery procedures between 2011 and 2014 were tested by immunohistochemistry (IHC) as a primary estimate of HER2 status, followed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Concordance rate between IHC and FISH was evaluated. The Χ(2) test was used to evaluate the correlation between HER2 gene amplification status and different clinical pathological features including: (estrogen receptor) ER and (progesterone receptor) PR expression, age, menopausal status and tumor size. The results show that 84.8% of IHC score 3+ cases and 6.2% of IHC score 0/1+ cases were amplified by FISH. After exclusion of group IHC 2+, the concordance rate between FISH and IHC was 87.4%. There was a significant inverse association between expression of hormone receptors (ER and PR) and HER2 amplification (P < 0.001) among the patients studied. However, no relationship was observed between HER2 amplification and age, menopausal status and tumor size (P > 0.05). The data demonstrate a relatively high level of concordance rate for HER2 testing between FISH and IHC, and HER2 overexpression was associated with the levels of ER and PR.
authors: Department of Medical Research, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University Nanning, China.
authors: Shu-Fang
authors: SF
authors: Ning
authors: Department of Medical Research, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University Nanning, China.
authors: Ji-Lin
authors: JL
authors: Li
authors: Department of Pathology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University Nanning, China.
authors: Cheng-Piao
authors: CP
authors: Luo
authors: Department of Pathology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University Nanning, China.
authors: Chang-Hong
authors: CH
authors: Wei
authors: Department of Chemotherapy, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University Nanning, China.
authors: Yong-Kui
authors: YK
authors: Lu
authors: Department of Medical Research, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University Nanning, China.
authors: Hai-Zhou
authors: HZ
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Medical Research, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University Nanning, China.
authors: Wen-E
authors: WE
authors: Wei
authors: Department of Medical Research, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University Nanning, China.
authors: Li-Tu
authors: LT
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008875:Middle Aged; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human
keywords: Breast cancer; HER2; clinical pathological features; fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH); immunohistochemistry (IHC)