TY - JOUR
T1 - Real time RT-PCR approach for the evaluation of ERBB2 overexpression in breast cancer archival samples
T2 - A comparative study with FISH, SISH, and immunohistochemistry
AU - Capizzi, Elisa
AU - Gruppioni, Elisa
AU - Grigioni, Antonia D Errico
AU - Gabusi, Elena
AU - Grassigli, Alberto
AU - Grigioni, Walter Franco
AU - Fiorentino, Michelangelo
PY - 2008/12
Y1 - 2008/12
N2 - We tested the reliability of real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions as an alternative method for the assessment of ERBB2 status in paraffin-embedded tissues of 83 patients with breast cancer and 20 non-neoplastic controls. PCR was also compared with the immunohistochemical (IHC) HercepTest score and with fluorescence (FISH) and silver (SISH) in-situ hybridization, in 42 selected cases. ERBB2 mRNA was overexpressed in 26/83 (31%) breast cancer samples, using a cutoff calculated as the mean value of the controls plus 3 SD or with the receiver operating curve. The PCR test showed a 96% sensitivity and a 100% specificity when compared with FISH, with an area under the receiver operating curve of 98.4%. Overexpression of ERBB2 at PCR was also significantly correlated with amplification in FISH (P <0.001, Mann-Whitney test) and in SISH (P <0.001, Mann-Whitney test), and with the IHC HercepTest scores 2 or 3 (P <0.001, Spearman rank correlation). FISH, SISH, and IHC were also compared with each other. ERBB2 amplification in FISH significantly correlated with that in SISH (P = 0.002, χ2 test with a concordance of the 87%), but not with IHC HercepTest scores (P = 0.214, χ2 test). Real time PCR is a reliable and cost-effective method for the assessment of ERBB2 status in archival breast cancer samples, compared with FISH. Its introduction in routine diagnostic pathology practice is feasible even if it requires amendments to the current clinical oncology protocols.
AB - We tested the reliability of real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions as an alternative method for the assessment of ERBB2 status in paraffin-embedded tissues of 83 patients with breast cancer and 20 non-neoplastic controls. PCR was also compared with the immunohistochemical (IHC) HercepTest score and with fluorescence (FISH) and silver (SISH) in-situ hybridization, in 42 selected cases. ERBB2 mRNA was overexpressed in 26/83 (31%) breast cancer samples, using a cutoff calculated as the mean value of the controls plus 3 SD or with the receiver operating curve. The PCR test showed a 96% sensitivity and a 100% specificity when compared with FISH, with an area under the receiver operating curve of 98.4%. Overexpression of ERBB2 at PCR was also significantly correlated with amplification in FISH (P <0.001, Mann-Whitney test) and in SISH (P <0.001, Mann-Whitney test), and with the IHC HercepTest scores 2 or 3 (P <0.001, Spearman rank correlation). FISH, SISH, and IHC were also compared with each other. ERBB2 amplification in FISH significantly correlated with that in SISH (P = 0.002, χ2 test with a concordance of the 87%), but not with IHC HercepTest scores (P = 0.214, χ2 test). Real time PCR is a reliable and cost-effective method for the assessment of ERBB2 status in archival breast cancer samples, compared with FISH. Its introduction in routine diagnostic pathology practice is feasible even if it requires amendments to the current clinical oncology protocols.
KW - Breast cancer
KW - FISH
KW - HER-2
KW - Immunohistochemistry
KW - Real time PCR
KW - SISH
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U2 - 10.1097/PDM.0b013e318161f993
DO - 10.1097/PDM.0b013e318161f993
M3 - Article
C2 - 18382352
AN - SCOPUS:57649116288
VL - 17
SP - 220
EP - 226
JO - Diagnostic Molecular Pathology
JF - Diagnostic Molecular Pathology
SN - 1052-9551
IS - 4
ER -