Prognostic value of immunohistochemically detected HER-2/neu oncoprotein in endometrial cancer

HER-2/neu (c-erbB-2) oncoprotein is a transmembrane glycoprotein and may function as a growth factor receptor being involved in the regulation of cell growth and cell transformation. We performed an analysis of 100 patients with endometrial cancer stage FIGO I to IV using an immunoperoxidase technique on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples in order to determine HER-2/neu oncoprotein expression. HER-2/neu oncoprotein was expressed in the tumors of 21 patients (21%). Clinical stage, histologic stage, histologic grade and depth of invasion did not correlate with HER-2/neu oncoprotein expression. We found HER-2/neu oncoprotein in all clinical stages and therefore it does not seem to be a late event in the natural history of endometrial cancer. HER-2/neu oncoprotein expression was associated with poor overall survival (log-rank P-value 0.04).