• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.28 no.2 s.50
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• pp.487-496
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• 1995

This study was performed for the comparison of the therapeutic efficiency between 6-month (2HERZ/4HER) and 9-month (9HER) short-course chemotherapy under the programe conditions for pulmonary tuberculosis in terms of sputum AFB negative conversion rate, remedial interruption rate and cost effectiveness analysis. Two hundreds and ninty three patients treated with 9HER and 641 treated with 2HERZ/4HER had been discharged from 22 health centers in Seoul from May 1, 1993 to April 30, 1994. Seven hundreds and seventeen was subsequently analysed excluding 217 patients due to remedial interruption. The results : 1. Bacteriological negative conversion rate in 9HER regimen and 2HERZ/4HER regimen was 97.8% and 96.4% respectively(p>0.05). But the early treatment period, negative conversion rate in 2HERZ/4HER regimen was very higher than in 9HER regimen(p<0.01). 2. Remedial interruption rate for 9HER regimen and 2HERZ/4HER regimen was 34.1% and 13.6% respectively. The primary reason for the interruption was transfering to other clinics and this interruption was high within 3months. 3. Cost effectiveness for 2HERZ/4HER regimen was higher than 9HER regimen. The difference cost effectiveness ratio was 2.33 at the first sputum test and 1.69 at the last sputum test.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1617-1620
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• 2014

Background: Evidence shows direct link of HER2 to increased glycolysis and over production of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). HER2 overexpression, high LDH and low glucose pleural levels are associated with poor prognosis in lung cancer. Here, their relationships were investigated. Materials and Methods: HER2 positivity was studied using immunohistochemistry in non-small cell lung cancer. Glucose and LDH levels were measured using commercial colorimetric kits. Results: Of 42 patients (29 adenocarcinoma and 13 squamous cell carcinoma), 28 (66.7%) were HER2-negative, 14 (33.3%) were HER2- positive, including 9 (21.4%) weakly stained (1+) and 5 (11.9%) moderately stained (2+) samples. The relationship between HER2 and glucose and LDH levels were tested in 20 newly diagnosed lung cancer patients who had simultaneous pleural and serum samples. Pleural and serum LDH levels were increased, and pleural glucose levels were decreased with the scale of HER2 positivity, and that the difference in glucose levels between HER2-negative group and HER2-positive patients scored at 2+ reached statistical significance (p=0.02). This latter group all had pleural glucose levels below 40 mg/dl. Conclusions: For the first time, we showed a significant association between low pleural glucose level and overexpression of HER2 in lung cancer. Further investigations are warranted to disclose the association of HER2 with low pleural glucose levels in other populations, with a larger sample size, in malignant pleural effusions caused by other types of cancer, and finally to assess employment as a screening tool for finding HER2-positive cases of lung cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.459-462
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• 2012

Expression of estrogen-receptor (ER), progesterone-receptor (PR) and HER-2 has recently been linked with various breast cancer subtypes identified by gene microarray. This study aimed to document breast cancer subtypes based on ER, PR and HER-2 status in Thai women, where expression of these subtypes may not be similar to those evident in Western women. During 2009 to 2010, histological findings from 324 invasive ductal carcinomas (IDC) at Siriraj Hospital were studied. Various subtypes of IDC were identified according to expression of ER, PR and HER-2: luminal-A (ER+;PR+/-;HER-2-), luminal-B (ER+;PR+/-;HER-2 +), HER-2 (ER-;PR- ;HER-2+) and basal-like (ER-;PR-;HER-2-). As well, associations of tumor size, tumor grade, nodal status, angiolymphatic invasion (ALI), multicentricity and multifocality with different breast cancer subtypes were studied. Of 324 IDCs, 143 (44.1%), 147 (45.4%), 15 (4.6%) and 12 (3.7%) were T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively. Most tumors were grade 2 (54.9%) and had no nodal involvement (53.4%). According to ER, PR and HER-2 status, 192 (59.3%), 40 (12.3%), 43 (13.3%) and 49 (15.1%) tumors were luminal-A, luminal-B, HER-2 and basal-like subtypes. HER-2 subtype presented with large tumor (p=0.04, ANOVA). Luminal-A IDC was associated with single foci (p<0.01, ${\chi}^2$). HER-2 and basal-like subtypes were likely to have high tumor grade (p<0.01, ${\chi}^2$). In addition, HER-2 subtype had higher number of nodal involvement (p=0.048, ${\chi}^2$). In conclusion, the luminal-A subtype accounted for the majority of IDCs in Thai women. Percentages of HER-2 and basal-like IDCs were high, compared with a recent study from the USA. The HER-2 subtype was related with high nodal invasion. The findings may highlight biological differences between IDCs occurring in Asian and Western women.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.1609-1615
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• 2016

Breast cancer is one of among all cancers with increased incidence, high mortality rate, and high economic and social costs. The the most common type of cancer among females worldwide, breast cancer is actually the uncontrolled proliferation of cells which attain malignancy. Recently it has shown that breast cancer contributes 11% among all types of cancer diagnosed globally on an annual basis and it is one of the leading causes of death among women. The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) is a receptor tyrosine-protein kinase erbB-2 normally involved in the proliferation and division of breast cells. In some abnormal cases the HER2 gene does not work correctly and makes too many copies of itself. HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancers constitute an aggressive type of breast cancer and tend to grow faster and are more likely to spread. However, therapies that specifically target HER2, such as Herceptin$^{(R)}$ (traztuzumab), are very effective. HER2 targeted therapies, has significantly improved the therapeutic outcome for patients with HER2 positive breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.2555-2558
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• 2016

Background: Gastric cancer is the second most common gastrointestinal cancer and is still associated with significant morbidity and mortality due to late presentation and diagnosis at advanced stages. Studies have reported that a variable proportion of gastric cancer is positive for the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and patients with HER2 positive (HER2 +ve) lesions can benefit from targeted therapy. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of HER2 +ve gastric cancers in Brunei Darussalam, a developing Southeast Asian nation. Materials and Methods: Patients were identified from the Department of Pathology registry and retrospectively reviewed. HER2 expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry and only those staining 3+were considered positive. Results: Our study included 103 cases (66 males and 37 females) with a mean age of $65.1{\pm}14.8$ years old. There were 14 cases positive for HER2 (10 males and 4 females) giving a prevalence of 13.6%. The HER2 +ve cases were significantly older ($70.6{\pm}19.3$ years old) than the negative cases ($64.2{\pm}13.8$, p=0.041) and had significantly more advanced disease (stages 3 and 4, p=0.026). There were no significant differences in gender distribution, presence of intestinal metaplasia, EBV status, Helicobacter pylori status, tumor location (proximal vs. distal) and degree of tumor differentiation (all p values >0.05). Conclusions: Our study showed that 13.6% of our gastric cancers are positive for HER2, the affected patients being older and having more advanced disease at diagnosis.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.233-241
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• 2007

Purpose: We examined the effect of the dual EGFR/HER2 tyrosine kinase inhibitor, GW572016, on EGFR/HER2 receptor phosphorylation, inhibition of downstream signaling and radiosensitization in either an EGFR or HER2 overexpressing human breast cancer xenograft. Materials and Methods: We established SCID mice xenografts from 4 human breast cancer cell line that overexpressed EGFR or HER 2 (SUM 102, SUM 149, SUM 185, SUM 225). Two series of xenografts were established. One series was established for determining inhibition of the EGFR/HER2 receptor and downstream signaling activities by GW572016. The other series was established for determining the radiosensitization effect of GW572016. Inhibition of the receptor and downstream signaling proteins were measured by the use of immunoprecipitation and Western blotting. For determining the in vivo radiosensitization effect of GW572016, we compared tumor growth delay curves in the following four treatment arms: a) control; b) GW572016 alone; c) radiotherapy (RT) alone; d) GW572016 and RT. Results: GW572016 inhibited EGFR, HER2 receptor phosphorylation in SUM 149 and SUM 185 xenografts. In addition, the p44/42 MAPK (ERK 1/2) downstream signaling pathway was inactivated by GW572016 in the SUM 185 xenograft. In the SUM 225 xenograft, we could not observe inhibition of HER2 receptor phosphorylation by GW572016; both p44/42 MAPK (Erk1/2) and Akt downstream signal protein phosphorylation were inhibited by GW572016. GW572016 inhibited growth of the tumor xenograft of SUM 149 and SUM 185. The combination of GW572016 and RT enhanced growth inhibition greater than that with GW572016 alone or with RT alone in the SUM 149 xenograft. GW572016 appears to act as an in vivo radiosensitizer. Conclusion: GW572016 inhibited EGFR/HER2 receptor phosphorylation and downstream signaling pathway proteins. GW572016 modestly inhibited the growth of tumor in the SUM 185 xenograft and showed radiosensitization in the SUM 149 xenograft. Our results suggest that a better predictor of radiation response would be inhibition of a crucial signaling pathway than inhibition of a receptor.

• Journal of Endocrine Surgery
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.228-235
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• 2018

Purpose: The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family plays a crucial role in the growth of malignant tumors. EGFR and human EGFR 2 (HER2) protein overexpression are associated with an unfavorable prognosis and are important therapeutic targets in breast cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between EGFR and HER2 expression and clinicopathological factors in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) at a single institution. Methods: A total of 129 consecutive patients with PTC were enrolled in this study and underwent thyroid surgery between October 2013 and February 2015. EGFR and HER2 protein expression was evaluated in the 129 primary tumors by immunohistochemistry, and the results were compared with the clinicopathological features. Results: Of the 129 PTC tumors, 20 (15.5%) were HER2 positive, and 109 (84.5%) were HER2 negative. Moreover, EGFR positivity were observed in 111 (86%) tumors. The mean age of the patients was $46.3{\pm}11.9years$ (range, 20-74 years), and the mean tumor size was $1.08{\pm}0.75cm$ (range, 0.2-3.5 cm). Tumor size, extrathyroidal extension, histological subtype, and TNM stage were not significantly associated with EGFR or HER2 expression. Meanwhile, high Ki-67 labeling index was significantly associated with EGFR expression (P=0.002), HER2 expression was significantly associated with younger age (${\leq}45years$) and cervical lymph node metastasis. Conclusion: Based on our data, it is not clear whether EGFR and HER2 expression is associated with tumor aggressiveness in PTC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.19
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• pp.8395-8400
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• 2014

In Saudi Arabia, cancer of breast is ranked the most frequent neoplasm and second source of cancer death in the female population. Breast cancer (BC) fast diagnosis, prognosis and medication management necessitate, these days, immunohistochemistry (IHC) assessment of hormone receptors and HER2 expression profile. The present report defines the IHC profile of ER, PR and HER2 in Saudi female breast neoplasms of ductal and lobular types and associations ER, PR and HER2 expression patterns with various clinicopathological factors (age, type of tumor, size, laterality, histological grade, and involvement of axillaries lymph nodes). Ninety nine cases of breast tumors were recruited from the pathology department archive of King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ER, PR and HER2 expression was assessed using IHC staining. Ductal carcinomas with a variety of histological grades constituted 88 (88.8%) of total cases. Seventy four (77.8%), 59 (62.1%), and 35 (36.8%) of ductal carcinomas showed positive staining for ER, PR and HER2, in that order. Remaining breast cancer cases were four (4%) lobular carcinomas and two (2%) mixed form of ductal and lobular types, which were ER+, PR+, and HER2-. Breast cancer expression pattern of ER, PR and HER2 in Saudi female is different from that of Tunisian and Jordanian female populations and closer to the expression pattern of Egyptian, Lebanese, Iraqi and western country females. Furthermore, the present study found two IHC patterns of breast cancer ER+/PR-/HER2+ (5%) and ER+/PR-/HER2- (11.1%), which had not been reported in other Arabic studies. Thus the rates of IHC expression patterns in breast cancer show some variation among Arabic female populations.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2015

Recently, specific antibodies have been used extensively to diagnose and treat various diseases. It is essential to assess the efficacy and specificity of antibodies, especially the in vivo environment. Anti-HER-2/neu mAb was evaluated as a possible transporting agent for radioimmunotherapy. The monoclonal antibody was successfully radio-labeled with $^{131}I$. In vitro binding assays were performed to confirm its targeting ability using another radio-iodine, $^{125}I$. Binding percentage of $^{125}I$ labeled anti-HER-2/neu mAb in HER-2/neu expressing CT-26 cells was found to be 4.5%, whereas the binding percentage of $^{125}I$ labeled anti-HER-2/neu mAb in wild-type CT-26 was only 0.45%. In vivo images were obtained and analyzed through $\gamma$-camera and an optical fluorescent modality, IVIS-200. $\gamma$-camera images showed that $^{131}I$ labeled anti-HER-2/neu mAb accumulated in HER-2/neu CT-26 tumors. Optical imaging based on near infrared fluorescence labeled anti-HER-2/neu mAb showed higher fluorescence intensities in HER-2/neu CT-26 tumors than in wild-type CT-26 tumors. Anti-HER-2/neu mAb was found to specifically bind to its receptor expressing tumor. Our study demonstrates that in vivo imaging technique is a useful method for the evaluation of an antibody's therapeutic and diagnostic potentials.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6311-6318
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• 2012

Background: HER2/neu overexpression due to gene amplification is an important factor in breast cancer, modifying the sensitivity to anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody therapy. The clinical significance of HER2 expression in non small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is currently under evaluation. The tumor suppressor gene PTEN negatively regulates the HER2/PI3K/Akt signalling pathway. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of simultaneous alteration in HER2 and PTEN protein expression in relation to biological behaviour of NSCLCs. Materials and Methods: Protein expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in sixty-one (n=61) NSCLC cases along with CISH for HER2 gene analysis and detection of chromosome 17 aneuploidy. Patients were followed-up for a period of 34 to 41 months after surgery. Results: HER2 overexpression (2+/3+score) was detected in 17 (27.9%) patients while loss of PTEN expression was observed in 24 (39.3%) cases, low expression in 29 (47.6%) and overexpression in 8 (13.1%). Simultaneous HER2 overexpression and PTEN low/loss of expression were correlated with metastasis (71.4% vs 36.2% p=0.03). Analysis in the subgroup of 22 patients of pTNM stage III with lymph node status N1 or N2 revealed that there was a relationship between the number of positive regional lymph node groups and simultaneous deregulation of the two genes (p=0.04). Multivariate analysis determined that HER2 overexpression was associated with an increasing risk of developing metastases (OR: 4.3; 95%CI: 1.2-15.9; p: 0.03) while PTEN overexpression was associated with lower risk (OR: 0.1; 95%CI: 0.1, 1.0; p: 0.05). Conclusions: Simultaneous HER2/PTEN deregulation is a significant genetic event that leads to a more aggressive phenotype of NSCLC.