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Characterization of HER2/neu and topoisomerase IIα status by FISH in locally advanced breast cancer

Caracterización de los genes HER2/neu y topoisomerasa IIα mediante FISH en cáncer de mama localmente avanzado

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Abstract

Background

HER2/neu encodes a receptor related to breast cancer pathogenesis and topoisomerase IIα is an enzyme involved in response to anthracycline chemotherapy. The aim of this study is to analyse HER2/neu and topoisomerase IIα in a homogenous series of 49 patients with locally-advanced breast cancer (LABC) to determine their status and predictive value with respect to response to treatment.

Material and methods

Paraffin-embedded tissues samples from patients with LABC (prior to their neoadjuvant chemotherapy programme) were analysed using the FISH technique.

Results

HER2 amplification was noted in 29% of cases of which 77% presented amplification in the topoisomerase IIα gene, 15% had deletion and 8% did not show any aberration in topoisomerase IIα status.

Conclusions

These preliminary analyses show a correlation between HER2 amplification and topoisomerase IIα status (92%), and suggest that patients with non-amplified HER2/neu or topoisomerase IIα have better response and have and increase (albeit not statistically significant) in disease-free survival (DFS). However, the limited numbers of patients in the study preclude definitive conclusion regards the value of these genes in predicting patient response to anthracycline-based chemotherapy.

Resumen

Introducción

HER2/neu codifica para un receptor implicado en la patogénesis del cáncer de mama y topoisomerase IIα es una enzima que se ha relacionado con la respuesta a antraciclinas. El objetivo del estudio es analizar HER2/neu y topoisomerasa IIα en una serie homogénea de 49 pacientes diagnosticadas de cáncer de mama localmente avanzado (CMLA) para determinar la correlación entre ambos genes así como evaluar su valor predictivo.

Material y métodos

Se estudiaron por FISH muestras en parafina previas al tratamiento neoadyuvante con antraciclinas.

Resultados

El 29% de los casos presentó amplificación de HER2/neu, de los cuales el 77% mostraba amplificación de topoisomerasa IIα, el 15% deleción y el 8% no tenía alteraciones en elstatus de este gen.

Conclusiones

Existe una correlación de un 92% entre la amplificación de HER2/neu y la alteración delstatus de topoisomerasa IIα. Nuestros resultados sugieren que pacientes sin amplificación de estos genes muestran una tendencia a una mejor tasa de respuestas globales y una mejor supevvivencia libre de enfermedad (SLE) que los pacientes con coamplificación, pero el limitado número de pacientes impide establecer una conclusión definitiva sobre el valor predictivo de estos genes en respuesta a antraciclinas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Servei d'Oncologia Mèdica, Hospital del Mar. IMAS, Barcelona, Spain

    Cristina Corzo Contero, Ignacio Tusquets Trias de Bes, Berta Laquente Saez, Meritxel Bellet Ezquerra & Xavier Fabregat Mayol

  2. Servei de Patologia, Hospital del Mar. IMAS, Barcelona, Spain

    Josep Maria Corominas Torres & Sergio Serrano Figueras

  3. Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain

    Cristina Corzo Contero

  4. Laboratori de Citogenètica i Biologia Molecular. Servei de Patologia. Unitat de Recerca Traslacional en Tumors Sòlids, Hospital del Mar., Pg. Maritim 25-29, 08003, Barcelona, Spain

    Cristina Corzo Contero, Marta Salido Galeote & Francesc Solé Ristol

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  1. Cristina Corzo Contero
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  2. Ignacio Tusquets Trias de Bes
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  3. Marta Salido Galeote
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  4. Josep Maria Corominas Torres
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  6. Meritxel Bellet Ezquerra
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  7. Xavier Fabregat Mayol
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  9. Francesc Solé Ristol
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Correspondence to Cristina Corzo Contero.

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Contero, C.C., Trias de Bes, I.T., Galeote, M.S. et al. Characterization of HER2/neu and topoisomerase IIα status by FISH in locally advanced breast cancer. Rev Oncol 6, 289–294 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02711836

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02711836

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