title: HER2 Analysis in Sporadic Thyroid Cancer of Follicular Cell Origin.
abstract: The Epidermal Growth Factor Receoptor (EGFR) family member human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is overexpressed in many human epithelial malignancies, representing a molecular target for specific anti-neoplastic drugs. Few data are available on HER2 status in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). The present study was aimed to investigate HER2 status in sporadic cancers of follicular cell origin to better clarify the role of this receptor in the stratification of thyroid cancer. By immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in-situ hybridization, HER2 expression was investigated in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded surgical specimens from 90 DTC patients, 45 follicular (FTC) and 45 papillary (PTC) histotypes. No HER2 immunostaining was recorded in background thyroid tissue. By contrast, overall HER2 overexpression was found in 20/45 (44%) FTC and 8/45 (18%) PTC, with a significant difference between the two histotypes (p= 0.046). Five of the six patients who developed metastatic disease during a median nine-year follow-up had a HER2-positive tumor. Therefore, we suggest that HER2 expression may represent an additional aid to identify a subset of patients who are characterized by a worse prognosis and are potentially eligible for targeted therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University of Messina, AOU Policlinico G. Martino, 98125 Messina, Italy. rmruggeri@unime.it.
authors.forename: Rosaria M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ruggeri
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, Unit of Nuclear Medicine, University of Messina, AOU Policlinico G. Martino, 98125 Messina, Italy. acampenni@unime.it.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Campennì
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age "Gaetano Barresi", Unit of Pathological Anatomy, University of Messina, AOU Policlinico G. Martino, 98125 Messina, Italy. giuffre@unime.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giuffrè
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Thyroid and PET/CT Center, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland. luca.giovanella@eoc.ch.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giovanella
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Images, Unit of Nuclear Medicine, University of Messina, AOU Policlinico G. Martino, 98125 Messina, Italy. m.siracusadr@alice.it.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Siracusa
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age "Gaetano Barresi", Unit of Pathological Anatomy, University of Messina, AOU Policlinico G. Martino, 98125 Messina, Italy. asimone@unime.it.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simone
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age "Gaetano Barresi", Unit of Pathological Anatomy, University of Messina, AOU Policlinico G. Martino, 98125 Messina, Italy. giobranca81@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Branca
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age "Gaetano Barresi", Unit of Pathological Anatomy, University of Messina, AOU Policlinico G. Martino, 98125 Messina, Italy. rscarfi@unime.it.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scarfì
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Endocrinology, University of Messina, AOU Policlinico G. Martino, 98125 Messina, Italy. Francesco.Trimarchi@unime.it.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trimarchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age "Gaetano Barresi", Unit of Pathological Anatomy, University of Messina, AOU Policlinico G. Martino, 98125 Messina, Italy. aieni@unime.it.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ieni
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age "Gaetano Barresi", Unit of Pathological Anatomy, University of Messina, AOU Policlinico G. Martino, 98125 Messina, Italy. tuccari@unime.it.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tuccari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072637:Thyroid Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases
keywords: FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization); HER2 (Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2); immunohistochemistry; sporadic differentiated thyroid cancer