EVALUATION OF EXPRESSION OF HER2/NEU IN GASTRIC CANCER AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE AS A PROGNOSTIC FACTOR IN GASTRIC ADENOCARCINOMA

*Dr. Kavitha Manoharan, Senthil Ponnusamy

ABSTRACT

Context: Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) involved in the pathogenesis of several types of cancer, including gastric cancer. Overexpression of HER2 is noted in 10%–22.8% of gastric adenocarcinoma and its identification is of prime importance in targeted therapy. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the status of HER-2/neu gene in the gastric adenocarcinoma samples and to correlate with various clinico-pathological variables. Methods and Material: In this study 50 paraffin embedded tissue blocks from patients with gastric adenocarcinoma [2012–2014] were included. Overexpression of Her2/neu was measured by immunohistochemistry. Statistical analysis: Data were statistically analyzed by fisher t test and chi- square test using the SPSS statistical software program (Version 19.0) for Microsoft Windows 8. p value less than 0.05 considered to be positive. Results: Most of gastric carcinomas occurred in male (34 cases), having a mean age of 57 years. A total of eight cases (16%) had expressed a score of 3+ HER2 positivity. HER2 score of 3+ was noted in tumours arise from body and OGJ in six cases, whereas two cases show positivity in pyloric antral tumours. Among histological forms according to WHO classification, 40% (four cases) of signet ring cell carcinomas showed HER2neu expression. Conclusions: HER2 overexpression was noticeably associated with signet cell subtype, and tumours arise from body and OGJ.

Keywords: Gastric cancer, HER2, Immunohistochemistry, Prognosis, Therapy.