Lack of effects of HER-2/neu on prognosis in colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis

Loss of beclin 1 expression in ovarian cancer: A potential biomarker for predicting unfavorable outcomes

The clinicopathological significance and prognostic value of the expression of proteins associated with autophagy, beclin 1 (BECN1), 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3) and high mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB-1), were investigated in patients with ovarian carcinoma, receiving combination chemotherapy with a platinum agent and a taxane. Immunohistochemical staining was performed for autophagy-associated proteins in tumor tissues from 141 patients with ovarian carcinoma. Clinical data were collected retrospectively by reviewing medical charts, and the association between protein expression, clinicopathological features and survival was investigated. Amongst 141 ovarian carcinoma samples, the loss of BECN1, LC3, and HMGB-1 expression was identified in 59 (41.8%), 35 (24.8%), and 66 (46.8%) samples, respectively. Clinicopathological factors were not significantly associated with the loss of BECN1 expression. However, significant associations were demonstrated between the expression of BECN1, LC3, and HMGB-1. In addition, loss of BECN1 expression demonstrated a significant association with poor progression-free and poor overall survival. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that loss of BECN1 expression and postoperative residual tumor were significant independent predictors of poor progression-free survival and poor overall survival. These results indicated that loss of BECN1 expression in ovarian carcinoma is a negative prognosticator in patients receiving platinum-based chemotherapy. Assessment of BECN1 expression may be useful for predicting an unfavorable response to platinum-based chemotherapy in ovarian carcinoma.

Expression of Beclin 1 and Bcl-2 in pancreatic neoplasms and its effect on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma prognosis

Aberrant expression of Beclin 1 and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) has been identified in a variety of human tumors; however, little information is available for pancreatic neoplasms. The present study analyzed the expression of Beclin 1 and Bcl-2 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) of the pancreas, and evaluated their prognostic significance for PDAC. The present study included 117 PDAC, 43 SPN and 32 chronic pancreatitis (CP) cases. Levels of Beclin 1 and Bcl-2 expression were evaluated semiquantitatively by immunohistochemistry, and their correlation with the survival of patients with PDAC was determined. Beclin 1 was upregulated in 74 (63.2%) PDAC, 26 (60.5%) SPN, and 14 (43.8%) CP cases. Bcl-2 was upregulated in 38 (32.5%) PDAC, 11 (25.6%) SPN and 24 (75.0%) CP cases. High Beclin 1 and low Bcl-2 expression was significantly correlated with poor differentiation and distant metastasis in PDAC, and associated with the presence of nuclear pleomorphism in SPN and with advanced Tumor-Node-Metastasis stage in PDAC. Beclin 1 and Bcl-2 levels were inversely correlated in PDAC, whereas they were positively correlated in SPN. Low Beclin 1 and high Bcl-2 expression was associated with improved disease-free survival and overall survival (OS). However, the association of Beclin 1 with survival was not significant in the Cox analysis, whereas Bcl-2 expression was significantly correlated with OS in the multivariate analysis. In conclusion, Beclin 1 upregulation exacerbated the progression and aggressiveness of pancreatic neoplasms, and Bcl-2 downregulated expression was an independently poor prognostic factor for PDAC.

HER-2 and HER-3 expression in liver metastases of patients with colorectal cancer

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we evaluate the frequency of HER-2 and HER-3 expression in liver metastases from patients with colorectal cancer (CRLM). We analyzed the potential of HER-2 and HER-3 as therapeutic targets and evaluated their prognostic value.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Overall 208 patients with CRLM were enrolled. HER-2 and HER-3 expression were determined in metastatic tissue of diagnostic punch biopsies (n = 29) or resection specimens (n = 179). The results of immunohistochemistry (IHC) scoring and In-situ-hybridization (ISH)-amplification were correlated with clinical parameters and for the 179 resected patients with cancer-specific (CSS) and overall survival (OS). The mean follow-up time was 56.7 months.

RESULTS

Positivity of HER-2 status (IHC score 2+/ISH+ and IHC 3+) was found in 8.2% of CRLM. High expression of HER-3 (IHC score 2+ and IHC 3+) was detected in 75.0% of liver metastases. CSS after liver surgery was determined and was independent from the HER-2 status (p = 0.963); however HER-3 was prognostic with a favorable course for patients showing an overexpression of HER-3 (p = 0.037).

CONCLUSIONS

HER-2 overexpression occurs in only 8% of patients with CRLM but with 75% of cases HER-3 is frequently overexpressed in CRLM. Therefore, HER-2 and particularly HER-3 could serve as novel targets to be addressed within multimodal treatment approaches.

Association of HER2 codon 655 polymorphism with ovarian cancer

The role of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) codon 655 (Ile655Val) polymorphism in ovarian cancer is not fully understood. Two studies indicated a possible association between the Val allele and elevated risk or reduced prognosis of ovarian cancer. We investigated the HER2 codon 655 (rs1136201) polymorphism in 242 Austrian women-142 ovarian cancer patients and 100 healthy controls-by polymerase chain reaction and pyrosequencing. Associations between Ile655Val polymorphism and clinicopathological variables (e.g., age, FIGO stage, grading, serous vs. non-serous histology) were evaluated. The genotype distributions in ovarian cancer patients and controls were: AA; 66.2 %, AG; 25.35 %, GG; 8.45 %, and AA; 63 %, AG; 34 %, GG; 3.7 %, respectively (OR 1.15, CI 95 % 0.67-1.96). We observed a non-significant trend toward elevated cancer risk in Val/Val genotype (OR 2.98, CI 95 % 0.82-10.87, p = 0.10). Of note, 11 out of 12 Val/Val homozygotes were postmenopausal. The link between the Val/Val homozygosity and age over 50 years at diagnosis (OR 0.15, CI 95 % 0.02-1.2) was barely significant (p = 0.056). Summarizing, our data indicated a non-significant trend toward increased ovarian cancer risk in the Val/Val homozygosity, especially in women aged above 50 years. Further large-cohort studies focusing on the role of the HER2 codon 655 Val allele are needed.

HER2 expression in gastric and oesophageal cancer: a meta-analytic review

BACKGROUND

Since the advent and the success of adjuvant medical therapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer in the form of trastuzumab there has been increasing interest in the development of similar therapies in other solid organ malignancies including gastric cancer and oesophageal cancer. Over the years, multiple observational studies have been inconsistent. Several meta-analyses have been published looking at the association between HER2 and gastric cancer and oesophageal cancer. This review aims to summarize the meta-analytic evidence for the association between HER2 in gastric and oesophageal cancer.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted using MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Current Contents Connect, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Web of Science.

RESULTS

Of the articles selected, only nine studies met full criteria. Six of them reviewed the role of HER2 in gastric cancer and the remaining three reviewed its role in oesophageal cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

The current evidence regarding the role of HER2 is unclear. However, it clearly plays a key role in the pathogenesis of gastric and oesophageal carcinomas. Targeted therapy towards this subgroup (despite variable frequency and association with survival) would offer a mortality benefit and improve survival.