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Clinical role of HER-2/neu expression in colorectal cancer
A Pappas1, E Lagoudianakis, C Seretis
1First Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Athens Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Purpose:
To evaluate the HER-2/neu expression and its relationship with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in colorectal cancer patients.
Methods:
A total of 51 colorectal cancer patients who underwent resection with curative intent from January 2005 to March 2006 were included in this study. Patients were regularly followed up and survival data were obtained as of as April 2011. HER-2/neu protein expression was evaluated from tissue samples from the primary tumor using a semiquantitative standardized immunohistochemical staining kit. Staining intensity was scored as faint (1+), weak to moderate (2+) and moderate to strong (3+).
Results:
Forty-nine (96.1%) patients showed 1+ staining, 2 (3.9%) 2+, while no case was strongly positive (3+) for HER-2/neu. No apparent association was noted between HER-2/neu expression and patients' age, gender, tumor location, tumor grade, stage and survival.
Conclusion:
Moderate (2+) overexpression of HER-2/neu was detected in a small proportion of colorectal cancer patients. Considering the low rate of HER-2/neu overexpression in colorectal cancer, studies with larger sample sizes using standardized tests are essential to understanding the biologic role of HER-2/neu in this disease.
