Immunohistochemical Expression of Her2/neu in Gastric Carcinomas in Egyptian Patients

Background: Gastric cancer is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. The frequency of Her2/neu overexpression in gastric carcinoma varies widely in the literature. Furthermore, studies have yielded inconsistent findings regarding its prognostic relevance. In Egypt, few studies about Her2/ neu expression in gastric carcinoma were conducted. So, the aim of this study is to evaluate HER-2/neu expression in gastric carcinomas and to investigate its relation with the clinicopathological characteristics in respectable gastric cancer in Egyptian patients.
Methods: This study were conducted on 76 gastric cancer patients who underwent radical gastrectomy at Gastroentrology Center, Mansoura, Egypt from 2007 till 2013. All clinicopathological data were revised. Four TMA blocks were made by Beecher manual microarrayer from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples of tumors. Immunohistochemical staining of Her2/neu was performed on 4 μm thick sections that were cut from TMA blocks.
Findings: Forty one cases were positive (53.9%) while 35 cases were negative (46.1%). The only statistical significant relation was found between positive Her2/ neu expression and Lauren intestinal type. Her2/neu positive expression was associated with poorly differentiated grade, late pathological stage, more depth of tumor invasion and increasing number of LN metastasis but this association does not reach statistical significance. There was no association between HER2/ neu positivity and the other clinical pathologic parameters.
Conclusion: The rate of HER2/neu positivity in resectable gastric cancinomas was high (about 54%). The only statistical significant relation was found between positive Her2/neu expression and Lauren intestinal type.

Author(s): Ramy Ahmed Abdel-Salam, Amira El-Hawary, Mie Ali Mohamed and Tawakol Gamil

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