BACKGROUND: The standardization of the HER2 score and recent changes in therapeutic modalities points to the need for a reevaluation of the role of HER2 in recently diagnosed breast carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective study of 1794 primary breast carcinomas diagnosed in Italy in 2000/2001 and scored in HER2 four categories according to immunohistochemistry was conducted. RESULTS: Ductal histotype, vascular invasion, grade, MIB1 positivity, estrogen and progesterone receptor expression differed significantly in HER2 3+ tumors compared with the other categories. HER2 2+ tumors almost showed values intermediate between those of the negative and the 3+ subgroups. The characteristics of HER2 1+ tumors were found to be in between those of HER2 0 and 2+ tumors. With a median follow-up of 54 months, HER2 3+ status was associated with higher relapse rates in node-positive and node-negative subgroups, while HER2 2+ only in node positive. Analysis of relapses according to type of therapy provided evidence of responsiveness of HER2-positive tumors to chemotherapy, especially taxanes. CONCLUSIONS: The present prognostic significance of HER2 is correlated to receptor expression level and points to the need to consider HER2 2+ and HER2 3+ tumors as distinct diseases with different outcomes and specific features.
BACKGROUND: The standardization of the HER2 score and recent changes in therapeutic modalities points to the need for a reevaluation of the role of HER2 in recently diagnosed breast carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective study of 1794 primary breast carcinomas diagnosed in Italy in 2000/2001 and scored in HER2 four categories according to immunohistochemistry was conducted. RESULTS: Ductal histotype, vascular invasion, grade, MIB1 positivity, estrogen and progesterone receptor expression differed significantly in HER2 3+ tumors compared with the other categories. HER2 2+ tumors almost showed values intermediate between those of the negative and the 3+ subgroups. The characteristics of HER2 1+ tumors were found to be in between those of HER2 0 and 2+ tumors. With a median follow-up of 54 months, HER2 3+ status was associated with higher relapse rates in node-positive and node-negative subgroups, while HER2 2+ only in node positive. Analysis of relapses according to type of therapy provided evidence of responsiveness of HER2-positive tumors to chemotherapy, especially taxanes. CONCLUSIONS: The present prognostic significance of HER2 is correlated to receptor expression level and points to the need to consider HER2 2+ and HER2 3+ tumors as distinct diseases with different outcomes and specific features.
Authors: C A Purdie; L Baker; A Ashfield; S Chatterjee; L B Jordan; P Quinlan; D J A Adamson; J A Dewar; A M Thompson Journal: Br J Cancer Date: 2010-07-27 Impact factor: 7.640
Authors: Benjamin Daniels; Sarah J Lord; Belinda E Kiely; Nehmat Houssami; Philip Haywood; Christine Y Lu; Robyn L Ward; Sallie-Anne Pearson Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2017-01-24 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Simon Peter Gampenrieder; Gabriel Rinnerthaler; Christoph Tinchon; Andreas Petzer; Marija Balic; Sonja Heibl; Clemens Schmitt; August Felix Zabernigg; Daniel Egle; Margit Sandholzer; Christian Fridolin Singer; Florian Roitner; Christopher Hager; Johannes Andel; Michael Hubalek; Michael Knauer; Richard Greil Journal: Breast Cancer Res Date: 2021-12-14 Impact factor: 6.466
Authors: E C Inwald; O Ortmann; F Zeman; M Koller; F Hofstädter; M Gerstenhauer; M Klinkhammer-Schalke Journal: Biomed Res Int Date: 2014-03-20 Impact factor: 3.411