Background: HER-2/neu onco-protein is increasingly being recognized as a target for therapy in solid tumors, but data on its role in malignant melanoma is currently limited. Our study objective was to determine a relationship, if any, between HER-2/neu overexpression and malignant melanoma.
Patients and methods: Overexpression of HER-2/neu was evaluated in patients with malignant melanoma by using immunchistochemistry (DAKO Hercep test) in 202 archival tissue specimens.
Results: Between 1991 and 2001, 202 subjects [109 males; (54%) and 93 females; (46%)] with malignant melanoma were studied. Interestingly, only 2 of the 202 patients (0.9%) with biopsy-proven malignant melanoma revealed HER-2/neu overexpression.
Conclusion: The results of our large study indicate that the HER-2/neu onco-protein neither has a role in melanogenesis nor is a potential target for clinical trials with monoclonal antibody therapy. Thus, there is no role for HER-2/neu testing in patients with malignant melanoma.