Clinicopathological Significance Of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor- 2 (Her-2/Neu) Over-Expression In Gastric And Esophageal Carcinomas Of Upper Gastrointestinal Biopsies

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%).

xiii 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.