Human Pathology
Volume 41, Issue 4 , Pages 485-492, April 2010

Epidermal growth factor receptor and HER-2/neu status by immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization in adenocarcinomas of the biliary tree and gallbladder

  • Nafis Shafizadeh, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA
    • Drs. Shafizadeh and Grenert contributed equally to the manuscript.
    • ,
  • James P. Grenert, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA
    • Drs. Shafizadeh and Grenert contributed equally to the manuscript.
    • ,
  • Vaibhav Sahai, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medicine, Mercy Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA 94143, USA
    • ,
  • Sanjay Kakar, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA
    • Veteran Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Department of Anatomic Pathology, UCSF and VA Medical Center, San Francisco, CA 94121.

Received 29 June 2009; received in revised form 29 September 2009; accepted 1 October 2009. published online 30 December 2009.

Summary 

Adenocarcinomas of the biliary tract and gallbladder are aggressive tumors with a poor prognosis. Standard chemotherapy often offers minimal benefit. Because epidermal growth factor receptor and HER-2/neu antagonists have been successfully used in adenocarcinomas from other sites, their use in cholangiocarcinoma can be potentially beneficial. This study examines the epidermal growth factor receptor and HER-2/neu expression and the epidermal growth factor receptor gene copy number in biliary tract adenocarcinomas. Fifty-one formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded cases of adenocarcinomas (26 intrahepatic, 19 extrahepatic, 6 gallbladder) were stained with monoclonal antibodies against epidermal growth factor receptor and HER-2/neu. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis was performed in 37 cases using probes directed against epidermal growth factor receptor and centromeric region of chromosome 7. Epidermal growth factor receptor expression was present in 41 (80%) cases, with moderate or strong epidermal growth factor receptor staining in 30 (59%) cases. HER-2/neu was positive in 2 (4%) cases. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis showed gain in epidermal growth factor receptor gene copy number in 17 (46%) tumors. Of the latter, 1 showed gene amplification, whereas all others showed gain in chromosome 7, indicating balanced polysomy. Epidermal growth factor receptor overexpression by immunohistochemistry correlated significantly with epidermal growth factor receptor copy number by fluorescence in situ hybridization (P = .02). HER2/neu expression is uncommon in these tumors.

Keywords: Cholangiocarcinoma, EGFR, HER-2/neu, Immunohistochemistry, FISH

To access this article, please choose from the options below

Login to an existing account or Register a new account.

  • Purchase this article for 31.50 USD (You must login/register to purchase this article)

    Online access for 24 hours. The PDF version can be downloaded as your permanent record.

  • Subscribe to this title

    Get unlimited online access to this article and all other articles in this title 24/7 for one year.

  • Claim access now

    For current subscribers with Society Membership or Account Number.

  • Visit SciVerse ScienceDirect to see if you have access via your institution.
 

PII: S0046-8177(09)00366-9

doi:10.1016/j.humpath.2009.10.002

Human Pathology
Volume 41, Issue 4 , Pages 485-492, April 2010

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution