Detection of HER-2 and EGFR Gene Amplification Using Chromogenic In-situ Hybridization Technique in Ovarian Tumors

摘要

To evaluate the possibility of the targeted therapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)-2 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in ovarian cancers, we evaluated HER-2 and EGFR gene amplification by using chromogenic in-situ hybridization method in ovarian common epithelial tumors. The increased gene copy number of HER-2 was found in 20 of 90 primary cancers (22.2%), but not in benign and borderline tumors. There were 3 trisomy (3.3%), 10 polysomy (11.1%), and 7 amplification (7.8%). The increased gene copy number of HER-2 was more common in mucinous (45.5%) and clear cell carcinomas (41.7%) than in serous (17.5%) and endometrioid carcinomas (0%), but without statistical significance. The increased copy number of EGFR gene was found in 2 of 24 borderline tumors (8.3%) and 34 of 90 malignant tumors (37.8%), but none of benign tumors. There were 1 amplification (1.1%), 9 trisomy (10.0%), and 26 polysomy (28.9%). Serous (45.6%) and clear cell (50.0%) carcinomas showed more frequent EGFR gene copy number changes than in serous borderline tumors (11.8%), mucinous (9.1%), and endometrioid carcinomas (10%), but with statistical significance only between serous borderline tumors and serous carcinomas.