The prognostic value of HER2 oncogene expression in human cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Prof. Dr. Ola M. Omran; Dr. Nora Alyousif; Dr. Lina Alyousif

Volume : V, Issue : II, February - 2016

The prognostic value of HER2 oncogene expression in human cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Prof. Dr. Ola M. Omran, Dr. Nora Alyousif, Dr. Lina Alyousif

Abstract :

<p>&nbsp;BACKGROUND: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common skin cancer, after basal cell carcinomas. HER2, a member of the Erb family of transmemane receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK), is responsible for communicating extracellular signals to the nucleus and is implicated in tumorgenesis in several malignancies with potentially poor outcome. To date, the expression of HER2 has not been evaluated in primary cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). AIMS: The aim of this study is to (1) investigate the expression of HER2 in primary cutaneous SCC (2) relate the results to the established clinicopathological prognostic factors PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on about 40 skin specimens from patients with non melanoma skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) diagnosed and confirmed by biopsy. Immunohistochemical analysis for HER2 was carried out on formalin&ndash;fixed paraffinembedded sections of bladder tissues using avidin&ndash;biotin peroxidase method. RESULTS: 28 cases (70%) of cuaneous SCC evaluated for the presence of HER2 were immunoreactive for the receptor. There was a statistically significant correlation between HER2 expression and each of the tumor grade, lymph node and distant metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: HER2 is overexpressed in 70% of SCC cases; this is cognate with the prior reports demonstrating that SCC possesses high metastatic potential. These results can have both prognostic and therapeutic implications.</p>