ASSOCIATION OF HER2/NEU EXPRESSION WITH PATIENT PROGNOSIS IN PRIMARY GASTRIC ADENOCARCINOMA

Introduction: Gastric carcinoma is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in the world. Aim of the present study was to determine the association of HER2 overexpression with prognostic factors in gastric adenocarcinoma affected Pakistani patients. Methods: For this purpose, immunohistochemical staining of gastric cancer patients (n=200) was performed. HER2 was found to be overexpressed in 70% of cases included in the study. Association of HER2 expression with age greater than 40 years at the time of diagnosis, histological types and moderately differentiated grades of primary gastric adenocarcinoma was observed. Results: HER2 was found to be overexpressed in 20% of cases. No association of HER2 was identified with the gender of the patients. Interestingly, HER2, overexpression was present in 75% of intestinal and 37% of diffuse type gastric adenocarcinoma. Based on tumor differentiation, well-differentiated (grade I) and moderately differentiated type (grade II) adenocarcinoma showed overexpression of HER2 in 90 and 80% patients respectively. Moreover, 60% patients having poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (grade III) also exhibited HER2 overexpression. Conclusion: Due to presence of HER2 overexpression in diffuse type gastric carcinoma as well, it is suggested that every case of gastric adenocarcinoma should be tested for HER2 overexpression so that they can be offered targeted molecular therapy for better survival.