Abstract:
INTRODUCTION HER-2/neu plays a key role in the pathogenesis of gastric and esophageal
carcinomas and it‘s over expression has been documented in 6.8–34% of gastric
carcinomas and 10-12.1% of oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Detecting the HER-2/neu
status is a prerequisite for monoclonal antibody therapy. In this study,
immunohistochemistry was used to detect HER-2/neu over- expression in gastric and
esophageal carcinomas.
OBJECTIVE
To associate HER-2/neu over-expression with age, sex, type and grade of
gastric and esophageal carcinomas in upper gastrointestinal (UGI) endoscopic
biopsies.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
HER-2/neu expression was investigated by immunohistochemistry on 107
esophageal and gastric carcinomas of UGI endoscopic biopsies received at our
institution. Association between the expression of HER-2/neu and clinico
pathological parameters was statistically analysed.
RESULTS
The association was not statistically significant between age, sex and grade of
the tumour with HER-2/neu over-expression. HER-2/neu over-expression was seen in
14.2% of gastric adenocarcinomas, 20% of esophageal adenocarcinomas and 4% of
esophageal squamous cell carcinomas. Predominantly, intestinal type (9.5%) of
gastric carcinoma showed HER-2/neu over-expression followed by diffuse type
(2.3%) and mixed type (2.3%).
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CONCLUSION
In view of increasing trend of UGI tract malignancies and associated poor
survival of advanced carcinomas, assessing HER-2/neu over expression in gastric and
esophageal carcinomas is helpful to decide the utility of adjuvant targeted
chemotherapy.
