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

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Summary

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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China

    Xiu Nie  (聂 秀), Jun He  (贺 骏), Yan Li  (李 燕), Dan-zhen Pan  (潘丹珍), Hua-xiong Pan  (潘华雄), Mi-xia Weng  (翁密霞) & Xiu-ping Yang  (杨秀萍)

  2. Department of Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China

    Chun-ping Liu  (刘春萍) & Tao Huang  (黄 韬)

Authors
  1. Xiu Nie  (聂 秀)
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  2. Jun He  (贺 骏)
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  3. Yan Li  (李 燕)
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  4. Dan-zhen Pan  (潘丹珍)
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  5. Hua-xiong Pan  (潘华雄)
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  6. Mi-xia Weng  (翁密霞)
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  7. Xiu-ping Yang  (杨秀萍)
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  8. Chun-ping Liu  (刘春萍)
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  9. Tao Huang  (黄 韬)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tao Huang  (黄 韬).

Additional information

This project was supported by grants from the Natural Science

Foundation of Hubei Province (No. 2008CDB152) and Science and Technology Foundation of Hubei Province (No. 2007AA402A40).

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Nie, X., He, J., Li, Y. et al. Accurate assessment of HER2 gene status for invasive component of breast cancer by combination of immunohistochemistry and chromogenic In Situ hybridization. J. Huazhong Univ. Sci. Technol. [Med. Sci.] 33, 379–384 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-013-1128-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-013-1128-5

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