<abstract xml:lang="en" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><bold>Background.</bold> The amplification and the overexpression of the Her-2/neu gene have been shown in certain human tumours and are postulated to be important in human carcinogenesis. In this study we evaluated the expression of HER-2/neu gene in patients with lung carcinoma (LC) and assessed its prognostic significance.<bold>Patients and methods.</bold> HER-2/neu expression was determined in 127 LC patients using immunohistochemistry (IHC) performed on paraffin-embedded section - Hercep Test™ (DAKO).<bold>Results.</bold> The overall HER-2/neu expression was seen in 36 (28.35%) of 127 LC patients. According to the histological type, HER-2/neu overexpression was detected in 12 patients with adenocarcinomas (60%), in 19 patients with squamous cell carcinomas (31.14%), in 4 patients with small cell-lung carcinomas (10%) and in 1 patient with other carcinomas (16.66%). Only in patients with small cell-lung carcinomas HER-2/neu overexpression was in correlation with the stage of the disease (p&lt;0.001). The patients with HER-2/neu positive expression were associated with a significantly shorter survival compared with those who were HER-2/neu negative (log rank, p&lt;0.002).<bold>Conclusions.</bold> These observations suggest that HER-2/neu positivity may serve as a prognostic indicator in patients with LC. HER-2/neu plays a role in identifying patients at risk for the shortened survival, who may benefit from a more aggressive therapy.</abstract>

Background. The amplification and the overexpression of the Her-2/neu gene have been shown in certain human tumours and are postulated to be important in human carcinogenesis. In this study we evaluated the expression of HER-2/neu gene in patients with lung carcinoma (LC) and assessed its prognostic significance.Patients and methods. HER-2/neu expression was determined in 127 LC patients using immunohistochemistry (IHC) performed on paraffin-embedded section - Hercep Test™ (DAKO).Results. The overall HER-2/neu expression was seen in 36 (28.35%) of 127 LC patients. According to the histological type, HER-2/neu overexpression was detected in 12 patients with adenocarcinomas (60%), in 19 patients with squamous cell carcinomas (31.14%), in 4 patients with small cell-lung carcinomas (10%) and in 1 patient with other carcinomas (16.66%). Only in patients with small cell-lung carcinomas HER-2/neu overexpression was in correlation with the stage of the disease (p<0.001). The patients with HER-2/neu positive expression were associated with a significantly shorter survival compared with those who were HER-2/neu negative (log rank, p<0.002).Conclusions. These observations suggest that HER-2/neu positivity may serve as a prognostic indicator in patients with LC. HER-2/neu plays a role in identifying patients at risk for the shortened survival, who may benefit from a more aggressive therapy.

Prognostic value of immunohistochemical expression of HER-2/neu in patients with lung carcinoma

Institute for Lung Diseases and Tuberculosis, University of "Sv. Kiril and Metdoij", Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Institute for Radiology and Oncology, University of "Sv. Kiril and Metdoij", Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Institute for Epidemiology, University of "Sv. Kiril and Metdoij", Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Clinic for Pneumology and Allergology, University of "Sv. Kiril and Metdoij", Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Institute for Pathology, University of "Sv. Kiril and Metdoij", Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Radiology and Oncology

Background. The amplification and the overexpression of the Her-2/neu gene have been shown in certain human tumours and are postulated to be important in human...

Prognostic value of immunohistochemical expression of HER-2/neu in patients with lung carcinoma

Published Online: Sep 23, 2008

Page range: 151 - 158

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10019-008-0014-4

Keywords
HER-2/neu, lung cancer, immunohistochemisty, survival

This content is open access.

Prognostic value of immunohistochemical expression of HER-2/neu in patients with lung carcinoma

Published Online: Sep 23, 2008

Page range: 151 - 158

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10019-008-0014-4

KeywordsHER-2/neu, lung cancer, immunohistochemisty, survival

This content is open access.

Keywords
HER-2/neu, lung cancer, immunohistochemisty, survival