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Building Up a High-throughput Screening Platform to Assess the Heterogeneity of HER2 Gene Amplification in Breast Cancers
Published on: December 5, 2017
Evaluation of HER2/neu Expression in Metastatic Axillary Lymph Node Tissue of Breast Cancer Patients Using
O D Bragina1,2, L A Tashireva1, D M Loos1,3
1Tomsk Cancer Research Institute, Tomsk, 634009 Russian Federation.
Abstract:
Anatomic visualization and molecular typing of metastatic regional lymph nodes in breast cancer patients are a serious clinical challenge in modern oncology. According to the results of previous studies, [99mTc]Tc-(HE)3-G3 has proven to be a promising diagnostic agent in differentiating the HER2/neu receptor status in primary breast tumors (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney test). In this regard, the purpose of this study is to explore the possibilities of using [99mTc]Tc-(HE)3-G3 to determine the HER2/neu receptor status in the metastatic axillary lymph nodes (mALNs) of breast cancer patients. The study was conducted using clinical material from 20 breast cancer patients (T2-4N1-3M0-1) before systemic therapy (10 patients with positive and 10 patients with negative HER2/neu expression in mALNs) who underwent SPECT/CT scan 4 h after the administration of [99mTc]Tc-(HE)3-G3. Morphological and immunohistochemical studies of mALNs with assessment of the HER2/neu status were performed on all patients. We found that mALN-to-background and mALN-to-latissimus dorsi muscle ratios for [99mTc]Tc-(HE)3-G3 uptake 4 h after its administration may be used for typing of the HER2/neu status in mALNs of breast cancer patients (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney test). In that case, sensitivity and specificity for the mALN-to-background ratio were identical at 80%, with the threshold value being > 12.25.
Insights
This study shows that [99mTc]Tc-(HE)3-G3 can effectively determine HER2/neu receptor status in metastatic axillary lymph nodes (mALNs) of breast cancer patients. The uptake ratios of this agent in mALNs offer a promising method for molecular typing.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Nuclear Medicine
- Molecular Imaging
Background:
- Accurate molecular typing of metastatic regional lymph nodes in breast cancer is a significant clinical challenge.
- [99mTc]Tc-(HE)3-G3 has shown promise in differentiating HER2/neu receptor status in primary breast tumors.
- Determining HER2/neu status in metastatic axillary lymph nodes (mALNs) is crucial for guiding treatment decisions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utility of [99mTc]Tc-(HE)3-G3 for determining HER2/neu receptor status in mALNs of breast cancer patients.
- To evaluate the correlation between [99mTc]Tc-(HE)3-G3 uptake and HER2/neu expression in mALNs.
- To assess the diagnostic performance of [99mTc]Tc-(HE)3-G3 in mALNs.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 20 breast cancer patients (T2-4N1-3M0-1) with known HER2/neu status in mALNs (10 positive, 10 negative).
- Patients underwent SPECT/CT scans 4 hours after administration of [99mTc]Tc-(HE)3-G3 before systemic therapy.
- Morphological and immunohistochemical analyses of mALNs were performed for HER2/neu status assessment.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in mALN-to-background and mALN-to-latissimus dorsi muscle ratios for [99mTc]Tc-(HE)3-G3 uptake were observed between HER2/neu positive and negative mALNs (p < 0.05).
- The mALN-to-background ratio demonstrated 80% sensitivity and 80% specificity for typing HER2/neu status.
- A threshold value of > 12.25 for the mALN-to-background ratio was identified.
Conclusions:
- [99mTc]Tc-(HE)3-G3 uptake ratios in mALNs can be used for molecular typing of HER2/neu status in breast cancer patients.
- This nuclear imaging agent offers a potential non-invasive method for assessing HER2/neu status in metastatic lymph nodes.
- Further validation may establish [99mTc]Tc-(HE)3-G3 as a valuable tool in breast cancer management.
