Evaluation of HER2/neu oncoprotein in serum & tissue samples of women with breast cancer

• Published in: Indian journal of medical research (New Delhi, India : 1994) Vol. 143; no. 7; pp. 52 - 58
• Main Authors: Shukla, Shailaja, Singh, Bhawana, Pathania, Om, Jain, Manjula
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd 01.05.2016; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Scientific Scholar; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; Age; Aged; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - blood; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Cancer research; Cancer therapies; Chemotherapy; Cloning; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Genetic aspects; Growth factors; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; Lymphatic system; Mammography; Metastasis; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Oncogene Proteins - biosynthesis; Oncogene Proteins - genetics; Original; Protein kinases; Proteins; Proto-oncogenes; Receptor, ErbB-2 - blood; Receptor, ErbB-2 - genetics; Receptors, Estrogen - blood; Receptors, Progesterone - blood; Variance analysis; Womens health; India
• ISSN: 0971-5916
• DOI: 10.4103/0971-5916.191769

Background & objectives: The proto-oncogene HER2/neu has been extensively studied in breast cancer patients. Serum levels of HER2/neu by ELISA in breast cancer patients were compared with tissue HER2/neu expression and with other clinicopathological parameters with the aim to investigate whether the serum assay could replace the established tests (IHC/FISH) for HER-2 status. Methods: Blood and Tru-cut biopsy samples were collected for determining HER2/neu status in 64 breast cancer patients. The tissue specimens were processed routinely and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for HER2/ER/PR (oestrogen/progesterone receptors) performed. Fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) was performed on all HER2/neu 2 positive cases. Sixty age matched healthy females and females with benign breast disease were taken as controls for ELISA. Results: Of the 64 breast cancer cases, 25 (39.1%) had elevated serum HER2/neu levels accompanied with increased tissue expression of HER2/neu receptors. On IHC, HER2/neu score was 3+ in 24 (37.5%) cases, 2+ in three (4.6%), 1+ in 18 (28.1%); while 19 cases (29.7%) showed no HER2/neu expression. o0 f the three 2+ cases on IHC, two showed amplification on FISH. Twenty one (32.8%) patients were ER positive and 17 (26.6%) were PR positive. There was a significant correlation (P<0.001) of serum HER2 concentration with tumour size, lymph node involvement, stage of disease and histological grade. Serum HER2/neu levels showed a negative correlation with ER status (P=0.047) but no correlation with PR status. Interpretation & conclusions: The results suggest that elevated serum HER2 level was associated with a clinicopathological aggressive phenotype of breast carcinoma and was related to tissue HER2 overexpression. Therefore, serum HER2 may be useful for monitoring the course of the disease and response to treatment.