Clinicopathological Significance and Prognostic Role of Her2neu Protein Expression in Patients with Carcinoma Stomach: A Prospective Study from Northern India

Abstract

Background and Aims Gastric cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide after lungs and colorectum. Although controversial, Her2neu overexpression by immunohistochemistry is usually associated with poor prognosis in patients with carcinoma stomach. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the prognostic role of Her2neu and its correlation with clinical, pathologic type, and stage of the disease. Methods A prospective study was performed on paraffin blocks of 111 gastric cancer specimens (88 patients were biopsy specimens and 23 were gastrectomy specimens). The paraffin blocks were processed for Her2neu receptor immunohistochemical staining and fluorescence in situ hybridization, and scoring was done. Results Her2neu overexpression was detected in 30 out of 111 (27%) patients. The mean age was 57.68 ± 12.82 years, with males constituting two-thirds of total patients. Tobacco addiction was found in 44% of the patients and smoking in 33% of the patients. Her2neu expression was similar in Lauren's intestinal and diffuse histologic type; however, proximal gastric tumors overexpressed Her2neu as compared with distal tumors. Her2neu 2+ or 3 + (odds ratio: 2.52, 95% CI: 1.61–3.95, p = 0.001) was the only independent predictor of survival in gastric cancer patients. Kaplan–Meir survival analysis showed that the survival of gastric cancer patients with Her2neu overexpression (Her2neu 2+ or 3 + ) was significantly lower than that of those with Her2neu nonexpression (p = 0.001). Conclusion Her2neu positivity was a significant predictor of mortality in patients with carcinoma stomach, and Her2neu overexpression was associated with a lower overall survival rate compared with Her2neu nonexpression.