Overexpression of c-erbB-2 protein correlates with chromosomal gain at the c-erbB-2 locus and patient survival in advanced colorectal carcinomas.

Abstract

Overexpression of the c-erbB-2 protein (also called HER-2/neu) is observed in a variety of malignancies including colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study we aimed to evaluate the rate of c-erbB-2 overexpression in our tumor collection and to clarify its correlation with the chromosomal status at the c-erbB-2 locus in CRC. Additionally we correlated the c-erbB-2 overexpression and the chromosomal gain of 17q with patient survival. Seventy-four specimens were analyzed immunohistochemically using a polyclonal c-erbB-2 antibody (DAKO) and the staining was scored according to the Clinical Trial Assay recommendations (0-3+). Of these, 45 cases were analyzed by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Overexpression was observed in 51% of the cases (score > or = 2). Chromosomal gains at the c-erbB-2 locus were clearly correlated with overexpression of the gene (P = 0.0009). Furthermore Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that overexpression of c-erbB-2 was significantly associated with poor survival and thus could serve as a prognostic marker. We conclude that c-erbB-2 is related with tumor progression in CRC which can be observed on protein level and reflects chromosomal gain at the locus at 17q.

• Authors: Thomas Knösel, Youngwei Yu, Ulrike Stein, Holger Schwabe, Karsten Schlüns, Peter Michael Schlag, Manfred Dietel, Iver Petersen
• Journal: Clinical & experimental metastasis (Clin Exp Metastasis) Vol. 19 Issue 5 Pg. 401-7 ( 2002) ISSN: 0262-0898 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 12198768 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Neoplasm Proteins
• Receptor, ErbB-2

Topics

• Allelic Imbalance
• Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17 (genetics, ultrastructure)
• Colorectal Neoplasms (genetics, mortality, pathology)
• Disease Progression
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
• Genes, erbB-2
• Humans
• Life Tables
• Neoplasm Metastasis
• Neoplasm Proteins (biosynthesis, genetics, physiology)
• Nucleic Acid Hybridization
• Receptor, ErbB-2 (biosynthesis, physiology)
• Survival Analysis