Harder J, Waiz O, Otto F, Geissler M, Olschewski M, Weinhold B, Blum HE, Schmitt-Graeff A, Opitz OG. EGFR and HER2 expression in advanced biliary tract cancer. World J Gastroenterol 2009; 15(36): 4511-4517 [PMID: 19777609 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.15.4511]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Dr. Jan Harder, Department of Medicine II, University Medical Center, Hugstetter Str. 55, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany. jan.harder@uniklinik-freiburg.de
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World J Gastroenterol. Sep 28, 2009; 15(36): 4511-4517 Published online Sep 28, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.4511
EGFR and HER2 expression in advanced biliary tract cancer
Jan Harder, Oliver Waiz, Florian Otto, Michael Geissler, Manfred Olschewski, Brigitte Weinhold, Hubert E Blum, Annette Schmitt-Graeff, Oliver G Opitz
Jan Harder, Oliver Waiz, Hubert E Blum, Department of Medicine II, University Medical Center, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany
Jan Harder, Oliver Waiz, Hubert E Blum, Annette Schmitt-Graeff, Oliver G Opitz, Tumorzentrum Ludwig Heilmeyer-Comprehensive Cancer Center Freiburg, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany
Florian Otto, Tumorzentrum ZeTuP, St. Gallen, Switzerland, and Department of Medicine I, University Medical Center, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany
Michael Geissler, Department of Medicine, Gastroenterology and Oncology, Municipal Hospital Esslingen, Germany
Manfred Olschewski, Department of Medical Biometry und Statistics, University of Freiburg, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany
Brigitte Weinhold, Annette Schmitt-Graeff, Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany
Author contributions: Harder J and Waiz O contributed equally to this work; Harder J, Waiz O, Geissler M and Opitz OG designed research; Harder J, Waiz O, Weinhold B and Schmitt-Graeff A performed research; Harder J, Waiz O, Olschewski M, Otto F and Schmitt-Graeff A analyzed the data; Harder J, Otto F, Blum HE and Opitz OG wrote the paper.
Supported by (In part) Hoffmann la Roche AG, Grenzach-Whylen, Germany
Correspondence to: Dr. Jan Harder, Department of Medicine II, University Medical Center, Hugstetter Str. 55, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany. jan.harder@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Telephone: +49-761-2703401 Fax: +49-761-2703550
Received: May 1, 2009 Revised: September 2, 2009 Accepted: September 9, 2009 Published online: September 28, 2009
Abstract
AIM: To analyze the pathogenetic role and potential clinical usefulness of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC).
METHODS: EGFR and HER2 expression was studied in biopsy samples from 124 patients (51% women; median age 64.8 years), with advanced BTC diagnosed between 1997 and 2004. Five micrometers sections of paraffin embedded tissue were examined by standard, FDA approved immunohistochemistry. Tumors with scores of 2+ or 3+ for HER2 expression on immunochemistry were additionally tested for HER2 gene amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH).
RESULTS: 34/124 patients (27.4%) had gallbladder cancer, 47 (37.9%) had intrahepatic BTC and 43 (34.7%) had extrahepatic or perihilar BTC. EGFR expression was examined in a subset of 56 samples. EGFR expression was absent in 22/56 tumors (39.3%). Of the remaining samples expression was scored as 1+ in 12 (21.5%), 2+ in 13 (23.2%) and 3+ in 9 (16%), respectively. HER2 expression was as follows: score 0 73/124 (58.8%), score 1+ 27/124 (21.8%), score 2+ 21/124 (17%) and score 3+ 4/124 (3.2%). HER2 gene amplification was present in 6/124, resulting in an overall amplification rate of 5%.
CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that routine testing and therapeutic targeting of HER2 does not seem to be useful in patients with BTC, while targeting EGFR may be promising.
Harder J, Waiz O, Otto F, Geissler M, Olschewski M, Weinhold B, Blum HE, Schmitt-Graeff A, Opitz OG. EGFR and HER2 expression in advanced biliary tract cancer. World J Gastroenterol 2009; 15(36): 4511-4517 [PMID: 19777609 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.15.4511]
