CLINICAL PATHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PROGNOSTIC FACTORS OF BREAST CANCER WITH HER-2 OVEREXPRESSION IN WESTERN ALGERIA
MERIEM N. MRABENT
Departement of Biology, Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Proteomics and Health, Djillali Liabes University of Sidi bel Abbes, Algeria
NORIA HARIR *
Departement of Biology, Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Proteomics and Health, Djillali Liabes University of Sidi bel Abbes, Algeria
FERIEL SELLAM
Departement of Biology, Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Proteomics and Health, Djillali Liabes University of Sidi bel Abbes, Algeria
SOUMIA ZEGGAI
Departement of Biology, Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Proteomics and Health, Djillali Liabes University of Sidi bel Abbes, Algeria
ABDENACER TOU
Department of Pathology, Sidi bel Abbes Hospital Center, Algeria and Laboratory of Environment and Cancer, Sidi bel Abbes, Algeria
MUSTAPHA DIAF
Departement of Biology, Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Proteomics and Health, Djillali Liabes University of Sidi bel Abbes, Algeria
RACHIDA SALAH
Departement of Biology, Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Proteomics and Health, Djillali Liabes University of Sidi bel Abbes, Algeria
SORAYA MOULESSHOUL
Departement of Biology, Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Proteomics and Health, Djillali Liabes University of Sidi bel Abbes, Algeria
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer related mortality in North African countries. HER-2 over-expression has been associated with a poor prognosis of breast cancer. We assessed HER-2 over-expression pattern in unselected breast cancer cases (from Western Algeria; Northern Africa) in terms of clinical-pathological parameters in order to identify possible correlations between them.
Methods: 628 confirmed cases of breast carcinoma were reviewed between January 2008 and December 2013. Immunohistochemistry assays were used to evaluate HER-2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2), ER (Estrogen receptor), and PR (Progesteron receptor) status. Hercep test of score 3+ was considered as positive, those with +2 were further evaluated by FISH.
Results: HER-2 receptor status was found positive in 168 patients (26, 8%) and negative in 460 patients (73,2%). HER-2 overexpression was found to be positively correlated with lymph node status, tumor size, infiltrating ductal carcinomas histologic subtype, histological grade of the disease and estrogen receptor status (p<0.05). However, no appreciable correlation between HER-2 status; patient age, menopausal status and progesterone receptor status was observed (p>0.05).
Conclusion: HER-2 overexpression in women breast cancer from western Algeria was correlated with different aggressiveness parameters, which would suspect a worst prognosis.
Keywords: HER-2, clinical-pathological parameters, breast carcinoma, western Algeria