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Cancer Cell International
Published in: Cancer Cell International 1/2023

Open Access 01-12-2023 | Ovarian Cancer | Research

Changes in HER3 expression profiles between primary and recurrent gynecological cancers

Authors: Yuki Kojima, Kazuki Sudo, Hiroshi Yoshida, Shu Yazaki, Momoko Tokura, Chiharu Mizoguchi, Hitomi S. Okuma, Shosuke Kita, Kasumi Yamamoto, Tadaaki Nishikawa, Emi Noguchi, Tatsunori Shimoi, Yasuhito Tanase, Masaya Uno, Mitsuya Ishikawa, Tomoyasu Kato, Kumiko Koyama, Maki Kobayashi, Tomoya Kakegawa, Yasuhiro Fujiwara, Kan Yonemori

Published in: Cancer Cell International | Issue 1/2023

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Abstract

Background

Human epidermal growth factor receptor-3 (HER3) is a member of the epidermal growth factor receptor family of receptor tyrosine kinases, and its overexpression is associated with inferior prognosis in several cancers. However, it is unclear whether HER3 expression status changes in tumor tissue at recurrence. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the changes in HER3 expression between primary and recurrent status in gynecological cancers.

Methods

This retrospective study used matched-pair tissues of gynecological cancer patients at initial diagnosis and at recurrence. Immunohistochemical (IHC) scores of 3 + or 2 + were termed “HER3-high”, while IHC scores of 1 + or 0 were designated as “HER3-low/zero”.

Results

A total of 86 patients (40 with ovarian cancers, 32 with endometrial cancers, and 14 with cervical cancers) were included in this study. In ovarian cancer, 67.5% and 80.0% of the patients received a HER3-high at initial and recurrent diagnosis, respectively. The H-score was significantly increased at recurrence (p = 0.004). The proportion of HER3-high endometrial cancer patients increased from 46.9% at initial diagnosis to 68.8% at recurrence, and the H-score tended to increase at recurrence (p = 0.08). The fraction of HER3-high-rated cervical cancer patients remained unchanged at 85.7% both at initial and recurrent diagnosis. The discordance rate of HER3 expression detection in initial and recurrent diagnosis samples was 27.5%, 53.1%, and 14.3% for ovarian, endometrial, and cervical cancers, respectively. Ovarian and endometrial cancers with a HER3-high recurrent score tended to show shorter median survival time than those with a HER3-low/zero recurrent rating.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that, in main types of gynecological cancers, the proportion of patients having a HER3-high score increased from initial to recurrent diagnosis.
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Metadata
Title
Changes in HER3 expression profiles between primary and recurrent gynecological cancers
Authors
Yuki Kojima
Kazuki Sudo
Hiroshi Yoshida
Shu Yazaki
Momoko Tokura
Chiharu Mizoguchi
Hitomi S. Okuma
Shosuke Kita
Kasumi Yamamoto
Tadaaki Nishikawa
Emi Noguchi
Tatsunori Shimoi
Yasuhito Tanase
Masaya Uno
Mitsuya Ishikawa
Tomoyasu Kato
Kumiko Koyama
Maki Kobayashi
Tomoya Kakegawa
Yasuhiro Fujiwara
Kan Yonemori
Publication date
01-12-2023
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Cancer Cell International / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 1475-2867
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12935-022-02844-z

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