Immunodetection of HER-2/neu protein in frozen sections evaluated by image analysis: correlation with overall and disease-free survival in breast carcinomas

Anticancer Res. 1993 May-Jun;13(3):603-12.

Abstract

The immunodetection of HER-2/neu oncogene product was performed in 108 breast carcinomas using immunoperoxidase technique. Monoclonal anti HER-2/neu protein was applied on frozen sections. Immunoprecipitates were evaluated by a computerized system of image analysis (SAMBA). The percentage of the immunostained tissue surfaces and mean optical densities were correlated with the 5 year overall and disease-free survival rates. It was shown that in optimal conditions of antigen preservation and standardized method of immunoprecipitates evaluation, 67% of breast carcinomas were more than 20% pHER-2/neu positive. The pHER-2/neu overexpression was not significantly correlated with the overall 5 year survival. However large positive anti pHER-2/neu surfaces were correlated with higher risk of recurrence (p = 0.0013) and of metastases (p = 0.035).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis*
  • Breast Neoplasms / chemistry*
  • Breast Neoplasms / mortality
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Carcinoma / chemistry*
  • Carcinoma / mortality
  • Carcinoma / pathology
  • Female
  • Frozen Sections
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Lymphatic Metastasis
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / chemistry
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / mortality
  • Prognosis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / analysis*
  • Receptor, ErbB-2
  • Survival Analysis
  • Survival Rate

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Receptor, ErbB-2