Evaluation of HER-2/NEU (C-ERBB-2) Oncogene Expression in Whole Organ Sections of Supraglottic Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Adequate pathologic material and careful clinical follow-up are prerequisites for the analysis of the expression of particular oncogenic proteins that are prognostically important in squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx. The Gabriel Tucker, Jr, Collection of 150 whole organ specimens allows for the potential immunohistochemical study of the entire tumor. Sections from 32 supraglottic carcinomas were studied immunohistochemically for the presence of HER-2/neu (c-erbB-2) oncogene expression. Long-term follow-up data were available in all cases to assist in determining the prognostic significance of the specified oncogene in supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma. Our study revealed that joint presentation of immune staining for c-erbB-2 and positive lymph node status was significantly associated with distant metastasis (p = .00760).

Keywords

c-erbB-2 distant metastases HER-2/neu larynx cancer lymph node metastases oncogene squamous cell carcinoma supraglottic larynx cancer

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