Accurate assessment of HER2 gene status for invasive component of breast cancer by combination of immunohistochemistry and chromogenic In Situ hybridization.

The specimens of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) with early invasion, and specimens collected by core needle biopsy (CNB) tend to contain limited amount of invasive component, so it is imperative to explore a new technique which can assess HER2 gene status accurately for the limited invasive cancer component in these specimens. Dual staining technique of combining immunohistochemistry (IHC) for myoepithelial cells and single or dual probe chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) for HER2 gene was performed on routinely processed paraffin sections from 20 cases diagnosed as having DCIS with invasive cancer. Among them, 10 had fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)-confirmed amplification of HER2 and 10 had FISH-confirmed non-amplification of HER2. We successfully detected HER2 genetic signals and myoepithelial IHC markers (SMM-HC or CK5/6) simultaneously on a single section in all 20 specimens. Myoepithelial markers and HER2 signals detected by dual staining assay were consistent with those by individual technique performed alone. HER2 gene amplification results determined by dual staining assay were 100% consistent with those of FISH. Dual staining technique which allows simultaneous detection of myoepithelial marker protein and cancerous HER2 gene is feasible, and it has potential to be used in clinical practice for effective determination of HER2 amplification in limited invasive component.

Enhanced expression of resistin-like molecule beta in human colon cancer and its clinical significance.

Previous studies have indicated that resistin-like molecule beta (RELM beta), an intestinal goblet cell-specific protein, is markedly increased in the intestinal tumors of min mice and over-expressed in a human colon cancer cell line. We hypothesized that RELM beta might be enhanced in human colon cancer. The aim of this study was to examine the clinical importance of RELM beta expression in colon cancer patients and to correlate its expression with various clinicopathological parameters, upstream regulatory molecule expression, tumor proliferative capacity, and patients' survival. Of the 80 colon cancer patients studied, 65 (81.25%) tested positive for RELM beta, mainly in the cytoplasm of colon mucosa. Contrasting sharply with the strongly RELM beta-positive tumors, normal colon mucous membrane was negative or weakly positive. RELM beta positivity in colon cancer was correlated with histological grade of differentiation and lymph node metastasis, but not with age, gender, tumor location and size, tumor infiltration, Dukes' stage, liver metastasis, and venous invasion. RELM beta expression was significantly correlated with the expression of transcription factor CDX-2 (P < 0.01) but not with that of proliferative index Ki-67 (P > 0.05). The mean postoperative survival time (2.76 years) of RELM beta-positive patients was significantly longer than that (1.26 years) of RELM beta-negative patients (P = 0.032). These findings support evidence of the enhanced RELM beta expression in colon cancer patients and suggest that further investigation is warranted to explore the role of RELM beta in colon cancer.

[Expression and significance of E-cadherin, CD44v6, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in non-small cell lung cancer].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: E-cadherin (E-cad), CD44v6 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) play important roles in invasion and metastasis of cancers. This study was to investigate the correlations of the expression of E-cad, CD44v6, and PCNA to the invasion, metastasis, and prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: The expression of E-cad, CD44v6 and PCNA in 86 specimens of NSCLC and 40 specimens of adjacent normal tissues were detected by EnVision immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The high expression rate of E-cad was significantly lower in NSCLC than in adjacent normal tissues (53.5% vs. 80.0%, P<0.05). E-cad staining in NSCLC tissues was correlated to differentiation, lymph node metastasis and TNM stage (P<0.05). The high expression rate of CD44v6 was 44.2% in NSCLC, and 0 in adjacent normal tissues. CD44v6 staining in NSCLC tissues was correlated to classification, lymph node metastasis and TNM stage (P<0.05). The high expression rate of PCNA was 48.8% in NSCLC, and 0 in adjacent normal tissues. PCNA staining was correlated to lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). PCNA expression was negatively correlated to E-cad expression (r=-0.554, P<0.05), and positively correlated to CD44v6 expression (r=0.688, P<0.05). Univariate analysis indicated that E-cad, CD44v6, and PCNA were prognostic factors of NSCLC. Multivariate analysis showed that E-cad and TNM stage were independent prognostic indicators (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: E-cad, CD44v6 and PCNA play important roles in invasion and metastasis of NSCLC. The expression of E-cad, CD44v6 and PCNA may be of prognostic value in patients with NSCLC.