title: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2/neu overexpression in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder and its prognostic significance: Is it worth hype?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In urothelial tumors of the urinary bladder, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2)/neu expression has been reported over 10 years, but there is no clear correlation between prognosis and recurrence rate. The present study evaluates prognostic implication of HER-2/neu expression.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 100 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens of primary transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder were processed. HER-2/neu monoclonal antibody immunohistochemistry staining procedure used for the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 70 (70%) patients were positive for overexpression of HER-2/neu. HER-2/neu was positive in patients with 42 (70%) superficial tumor, 28 (70%) muscle invasive tumor, 41 (75.9%) high-grade tumor, 29 (63%) low grade tumor, 31 (68.9%) recurrent tumor, and 6 (66.6%) had positive lymph nodes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2/neu over expression was not correlated with the tumor stage, lymphnode metastasis or recurrence of the disease. HER-2/neu overexpression was statistically insignificantly correlated with the differentiation grade (P < 0.161) as compared to previous studies. Future studies on HER-2 expression with chemo-sensitivity and efficacy of HER-2-targeted therapies in urothelial carcinomas is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Santosh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Omprakash
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Prajapati
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vaiphei
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Kalpesh Mahesh
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Parmar
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Sriharsha
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Singh
keywords: C-erbB2 gene; human epidermal growth factor receptor 2/neu; immunohistochemistry; urothelial cancer