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Confrontation of immunohistochemistry and fluorescent in situ hybridization for the assessment of HER-2/neu (c-erbb-2) status in urothelial carcinoma

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Abstract

Specific treatments targeted toward oncogenes expressed in cancer cells are currently under development. Patients with urothelial carcinomas showing HER-2/neu (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) overexpression are candidates for such a specific treatment (trastuzumab). However, to be effective, this therapeutic approach requires an extremely reliable evaluation of HER-2/neu status in tumors. In order to assess the status of expression of this gene and to optimize its assessment, we analyzed a series of 64 primary urothelial carcinomas using immunohistochemistry (IHC) with the CB11 monoclonal antibody coupled with fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) in 21 cases. Strong HER-2/neu overexpression was detected using IHC in 15 of the 64 (23%) cases analyzed, and this rate rose to 33% for patients with metastases. HER-2/neu overexpression, as revealed using IHC, is strongly associated (95%) with gene amplification assessed using FISH. Patients with urothelial carcinomas overexpressing HER-2/neu using IHC are potential candidates for targeted chemotherapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service d’Anatomie Pathologique, Hôpital Cochin, 27 rue du faubourg Saint Jacques, 75679 , Paris Cedex 14, France

    Gonzague de Pinieux, Delphine Colin & Annick Vieillefond

  2. Department of Pathology, Institut Curie, Section Médicale, Paris, France

    Anne Vincent-Salomon

  3. Department of Genetics, Institut Curie, Section Médicale, Paris, France

    Jérôme Couturier

  4. Department of Urology, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France

    Delphine Amsellem-Ouazana

  5. Department of Oncology, Institut Curie, Section Médicale, Paris, France

    Philippe Beuzeboc

Authors
  1. Gonzague de Pinieux
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  2. Delphine Colin
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  3. Anne Vincent-Salomon
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  4. Jérôme Couturier
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  5. Delphine Amsellem-Ouazana
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  7. Annick Vieillefond
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Correspondence to Annick Vieillefond.

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de Pinieux, G., Colin, D., Vincent-Salomon, A. et al. Confrontation of immunohistochemistry and fluorescent in situ hybridization for the assessment of HER-2/neu (c-erbb-2) status in urothelial carcinoma. Virchows Arch 444, 415–419 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-004-0986-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-004-0986-4

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