Tsapralis D, Panayiotides I, Peros G, Liakakos T, Karamitopoulou E. Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 gene amplification in gastric cancer using tissue microarray technology. World J Gastroenterol 2012; 18(2): 150-155 [PMID: 22253521 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i2.150]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Eva Karamitopoulou, Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Aretaieion University Hospital, Vass. Sophias 76, 11528 Athens, Greece. ekaramit@med.uoa.gr
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Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Jan 14, 2012; 18(2): 150-155 Published online Jan 14, 2012. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i2.150
Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 gene amplification in gastric cancer using tissue microarray technology
Dimitrios Tsapralis, Ioannis Panayiotides, George Peros, Theodore Liakakos, Eva Karamitopoulou
Dimitrios Tsapralis, Theodore Liakakos, 3rd Department of Surgery, Attikon University Hospital, University of Athens, Rimini 1, 12464 Athens, Greece
Ioannis Panayiotides, 2nd Department of Pathology, University of Athens, Rimini 1, 12464 Athens, Greece
George Peros, 4th Department of Surgery, Attikon University Hospital, University of Athens, Rimini 1, 12464 Athens, Greece
Eva Karamitopoulou, Department of Pathology, Aretaieion University Hospital, University of Athens, Vass. Sophias 76, 11528 Athens, Greece
Author contributions: Tsapralis D performed the research; Panayiotides I provided paraffin blocks from gastric cancer cases; Peros G contributed patients and data; Liakakos T contributed patients and designed the research; Karamitopoulou E designed the research, analyzed the data and wrote the paper.
Supported by The University of Athens
Correspondence to: Eva Karamitopoulou, Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Aretaieion University Hospital, Vass. Sophias 76, 11528 Athens, Greece. ekaramit@med.uoa.gr
Telephone: +30-210-7286427 Fax: +30-210-6018459
Received: February 19, 2011 Revised: July 6, 2011 Accepted: July 13, 2011 Published online: January 14, 2012
Abstract
AIM: To assess human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-status in gastric cancer and matched lymph node metastases by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH).
METHODS: 120 cases of primary gastric carcinomas and 45 matched lymph node metastases from patients with full clinicopathological features were mounted onto multiple-punch and single-punch tissue microarrays, respectively, and examined for HER2 overexpression and gene amplification by IHC and CISH.
RESULTS: Twenty-four tumors (20%) expressed HER2 immunohistochemically. An IHC score of ≥ 2+ was observed in 20 tumors (16.6%). HER2 amplification was detected by CISH in 19 tumors (15.8%) and in their matched lymph node metastases. A high concordance rate was found between HER2 positivity (as detected by IHC) and HER2 gene amplification (as detected by CISH), since 19 of the 20 IHC positive cases were amplified (95%). All amplified cases had 2+ or 3+ IHC results. Amplification was associated with intestinal phenotype (P < 0.05). No association with grading, staging or survival was found.
CONCLUSION: In gastric cancer, HER2 amplification is the main mechanism for HER2 protein overexpression and is preserved in lymph node metastases.
