Expression of HER2/Neu in B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
BACKGROUND
The expression of HER2/neu in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia has been reported in previous studies.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this research was to study the expression of HER2/neu on the blasts of patients with acute leukemia from the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutricion Salvador Zubiran.


METHODS
From June 2015 to February 2016, a HER2/neu monoclonal antibody was added to the panel of antibodies that we routinely use in patients with acute leukemia. An expression of ≥ 30% was considered positive.


RESULTS
We studied 33 patients: 19 had de novo leukemia (57.6%), three (9.1%) were in relapse, and in 11 (33.3%) their status could not be specified. Seventeen patients (51.5%) were classified as B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia with a median expression of HER2/neu of 0.3% (range 0-90.2). Three patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia were positive for HER2/neu: 89.4%, 90.9%, and 62.4%. The first and third patient had de novo B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The second patient was in second relapse after allogeneic stem cell transplant. All three patients were categorized as high-risk at the time of diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
In the studied Mexican population, we found a positive expression of HER2/neu in 17% of the B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients, similar to previous studies in which the expression was found in 15-50%.
Department of Hematology and Oncology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Tlalpan, Mexico City, Mexico.|Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Anáhuac México Norte, Huixquilucan, Mexico.
Sergio
S
Rodriguez-Rodriguez
Department of Hematology and Oncology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Tlalpan, Mexico City, Mexico.|Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Anáhuac México Norte, Huixquilucan, Mexico.
Alan
A
Pomerantz
Department of Hematology and Oncology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Tlalpan, Mexico City, Mexico.
Roberta
R
Demichelis-Gomez
Department of Hematology and Oncology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Tlalpan, Mexico City, Mexico.
Georgina
G
Barrera-Lumbreras
Department of Hematology and Oncology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Tlalpan, Mexico City, Mexico.
Olga
O
Barrales-Benitez
Department of Hematology and Oncology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Tlalpan, Mexico City, Mexico.
Alvaro
A
Aguayo-Gonzalez
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D015452:Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012008:Recurrence; D000068878:Trastuzumab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D055815:Young Adult
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000068878:Trastuzumab; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human