HER-2/neu gene amplification in ovarian tumours: a comprehensive immunohistochemical and FISH analysis on tissue microarrays.

Abstract

AIMS:

Data on HER-2/neu overexpression, its correlation to prognosis and the success of treatment with Herceptin((R)) in ovarian carcinomas are scarce and contradictory. Therefore we assessed HER-2/neu expression and amplification in a large series of ovarian tumours by using tissue microarrays (TMAs).

METHODS AND RESULTS:

Two TMAs containing 173 invasive carcinomas, 36 borderline tumours, 20 granulosa cell tumours, 14 carcinosarcomas, 11 benign cystadenoms and eight other pelvic tumours were constructed to assess HER-2/neu gene amplification by fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemistry. Immunohistochemistry was successful in 94.3%; 81.8% were HercepTest negative, 11.3% were scored as 1+, 4.1% as 2+ and 2.8% as 3+, including 3.1% of invasive carcinomas, 2.8% of borderline tumours and 7.7% of carcinosarcomas; 83.6% could be analysed successfully by FISH revealing no aberration in 75.8%, low amplification in 2.7% and high amplification in 3.7% of the cases. In 17.8% monosomy, trisomy, polysomy or deletion could be detected. All cases with high-level amplification had 2+ or 3+ scores on immunohistochemistry.

CONCLUSIONS:

TMA is a feasible tool to study a large number of ovarian cases. Correlation between immunohistochemistry and FISH was excellent. HER-2/neu overexpression or gene amplification does not correlate with histological tumour type, stage, grade or prognosis.

• Authors: D Mayr, V Kanitz, G Amann, J Engel, A Burges, U Löhrs, J Diebold
• Journal: Histopathology (Histopathology) Vol. 48 Issue 2 Pg. 149-56 (Jan 2006) ISSN: 0309-0167 [Print] England
• PMID: 16405663 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Receptor, ErbB-2

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Female
• Gene Amplification
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Staging
• Ovarian Neoplasms (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Prognosis
• Receptor, ErbB-2 (analysis, genetics)
• Survival Analysis
• Tissue Array Analysis (methods)