Expression of apoptosis-related markers and HER-2/neu in thymic epithelial tumours

Chin Chen Pan; P. C.H. Chen; L. S. Wang; J. Y. Lee; H. Chiang

doi:10.1046/j.1365-2559.2003.01663.x

Expression of apoptosis-related markers and HER-2/neu in thymic epithelial tumours

Chin Chen Pan, P. C.H. Chen, L. S. Wang, J. Y. Lee, H. Chiang

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

63 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Aims: To correlate the expression of a series of apoptotic and oncogene markers (including p53, Bcl-2, BAX, Bcl-X_L, p21^WAF.1/CIP1, cyclin D1, HER-2/neu) in thymic epithelial tumours with histological type, stage and resectability and to determine whether the information on HER-2/neu would be valuable in identifying patients who are eligible for anti-HER-2/neu treatment. Methods and results: Immunohistochemical stains were performed on 16 cases of non-neoplastic thymus, 63 thymomas and 17 thymic carcinomas. Fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) for HER2 was performed to validate the gene amplification. Eighteen thymomas were positive for p53 and 14 of them were low-expressors, with positive cells below 10%. All thymic carcinomas revealed over-expression of p53 with positive cells either between 10% and 50% or >50%. The expression of p53 correlated with histological type and stage in thymoma. In both thymoma and thymic carcinoma, there was a statistically significant correlation between p53 status and resectability, with low expressors having a higher likelihood of being resectable. Thymic carcinomas, regardless of the histological subtypes, uniformly expressed Bcl-2, while thymomas showed no or only weak cytoplasmic immunoreactivity. Most thymomas and thymic carcinomas were negative for Bcl-X_L, p21^WAF.1/CIP1 and cyclin D1. The expression of BAX was inconsistent among different histological types. Nine thymic carcinomas revealed membranous positivity for HER-2/neu. but no HER2 gene amplification could be demonstrated by FISH in any of the cases. Conclusions: p53 and Bcl-2 are more implicated in the development of thymic carcinoma than thymoma. The higher level of p53 expression and the strong immunopositive pattern of Bcl-2 in thymic carcinomas have potential value in the differential diagnosis and prediction of aggressiveness and resectability. On account of the absence of HER2 amplification, patients would probably not benefit from anti-HER-2/neu treatment.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	165-172
Number of pages	8
Journal	Histopathology
Volume	43
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2559.2003.01663.x
Publication status	Published - Aug 1 2003
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Apoptosis
Bcl-2
Fluorescence in-situ hybridization
HER-2/neu
Immunohistochemistry
Thymic carcinoma
Thymoma
p53

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Histology

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10.1046/j.1365-2559.2003.01663.x

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@article{0bd188f2bf8b482d8826b90798cf83d7,

title = "Expression of apoptosis-related markers and HER-2/neu in thymic epithelial tumours",

abstract = "Aims: To correlate the expression of a series of apoptotic and oncogene markers (including p53, Bcl-2, BAX, Bcl-XL, p21WAF.1/CIP1, cyclin D1, HER-2/neu) in thymic epithelial tumours with histological type, stage and resectability and to determine whether the information on HER-2/neu would be valuable in identifying patients who are eligible for anti-HER-2/neu treatment. Methods and results: Immunohistochemical stains were performed on 16 cases of non-neoplastic thymus, 63 thymomas and 17 thymic carcinomas. Fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) for HER2 was performed to validate the gene amplification. Eighteen thymomas were positive for p53 and 14 of them were low-expressors, with positive cells below 10%. All thymic carcinomas revealed over-expression of p53 with positive cells either between 10% and 50% or >50%. The expression of p53 correlated with histological type and stage in thymoma. In both thymoma and thymic carcinoma, there was a statistically significant correlation between p53 status and resectability, with low expressors having a higher likelihood of being resectable. Thymic carcinomas, regardless of the histological subtypes, uniformly expressed Bcl-2, while thymomas showed no or only weak cytoplasmic immunoreactivity. Most thymomas and thymic carcinomas were negative for Bcl-XL, p21WAF.1/CIP1 and cyclin D1. The expression of BAX was inconsistent among different histological types. Nine thymic carcinomas revealed membranous positivity for HER-2/neu. but no HER2 gene amplification could be demonstrated by FISH in any of the cases. Conclusions: p53 and Bcl-2 are more implicated in the development of thymic carcinoma than thymoma. The higher level of p53 expression and the strong immunopositive pattern of Bcl-2 in thymic carcinomas have potential value in the differential diagnosis and prediction of aggressiveness and resectability. On account of the absence of HER2 amplification, patients would probably not benefit from anti-HER-2/neu treatment.",

keywords = "Apoptosis, Bcl-2, Fluorescence in-situ hybridization, HER-2/neu, Immunohistochemistry, Thymic carcinoma, Thymoma, p53",

author = "Pan, {Chin Chen} and Chen, {P. C.H.} and Wang, {L. S.} and Lee, {J. Y.} and H. Chiang",

year = "2003",

month = aug,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1046/j.1365-2559.2003.01663.x",

language = "English",

volume = "43",

pages = "165--172",

journal = "Histopathology",

issn = "0309-0167",

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T1 - Expression of apoptosis-related markers and HER-2/neu in thymic epithelial tumours

AU - Pan, Chin Chen

AU - Chen, P. C.H.

AU - Wang, L. S.

AU - Lee, J. Y.

AU - Chiang, H.

PY - 2003/8/1

Y1 - 2003/8/1

N2 - Aims: To correlate the expression of a series of apoptotic and oncogene markers (including p53, Bcl-2, BAX, Bcl-XL, p21WAF.1/CIP1, cyclin D1, HER-2/neu) in thymic epithelial tumours with histological type, stage and resectability and to determine whether the information on HER-2/neu would be valuable in identifying patients who are eligible for anti-HER-2/neu treatment. Methods and results: Immunohistochemical stains were performed on 16 cases of non-neoplastic thymus, 63 thymomas and 17 thymic carcinomas. Fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) for HER2 was performed to validate the gene amplification. Eighteen thymomas were positive for p53 and 14 of them were low-expressors, with positive cells below 10%. All thymic carcinomas revealed over-expression of p53 with positive cells either between 10% and 50% or >50%. The expression of p53 correlated with histological type and stage in thymoma. In both thymoma and thymic carcinoma, there was a statistically significant correlation between p53 status and resectability, with low expressors having a higher likelihood of being resectable. Thymic carcinomas, regardless of the histological subtypes, uniformly expressed Bcl-2, while thymomas showed no or only weak cytoplasmic immunoreactivity. Most thymomas and thymic carcinomas were negative for Bcl-XL, p21WAF.1/CIP1 and cyclin D1. The expression of BAX was inconsistent among different histological types. Nine thymic carcinomas revealed membranous positivity for HER-2/neu. but no HER2 gene amplification could be demonstrated by FISH in any of the cases. Conclusions: p53 and Bcl-2 are more implicated in the development of thymic carcinoma than thymoma. The higher level of p53 expression and the strong immunopositive pattern of Bcl-2 in thymic carcinomas have potential value in the differential diagnosis and prediction of aggressiveness and resectability. On account of the absence of HER2 amplification, patients would probably not benefit from anti-HER-2/neu treatment.

AB - Aims: To correlate the expression of a series of apoptotic and oncogene markers (including p53, Bcl-2, BAX, Bcl-XL, p21WAF.1/CIP1, cyclin D1, HER-2/neu) in thymic epithelial tumours with histological type, stage and resectability and to determine whether the information on HER-2/neu would be valuable in identifying patients who are eligible for anti-HER-2/neu treatment. Methods and results: Immunohistochemical stains were performed on 16 cases of non-neoplastic thymus, 63 thymomas and 17 thymic carcinomas. Fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) for HER2 was performed to validate the gene amplification. Eighteen thymomas were positive for p53 and 14 of them were low-expressors, with positive cells below 10%. All thymic carcinomas revealed over-expression of p53 with positive cells either between 10% and 50% or >50%. The expression of p53 correlated with histological type and stage in thymoma. In both thymoma and thymic carcinoma, there was a statistically significant correlation between p53 status and resectability, with low expressors having a higher likelihood of being resectable. Thymic carcinomas, regardless of the histological subtypes, uniformly expressed Bcl-2, while thymomas showed no or only weak cytoplasmic immunoreactivity. Most thymomas and thymic carcinomas were negative for Bcl-XL, p21WAF.1/CIP1 and cyclin D1. The expression of BAX was inconsistent among different histological types. Nine thymic carcinomas revealed membranous positivity for HER-2/neu. but no HER2 gene amplification could be demonstrated by FISH in any of the cases. Conclusions: p53 and Bcl-2 are more implicated in the development of thymic carcinoma than thymoma. The higher level of p53 expression and the strong immunopositive pattern of Bcl-2 in thymic carcinomas have potential value in the differential diagnosis and prediction of aggressiveness and resectability. On account of the absence of HER2 amplification, patients would probably not benefit from anti-HER-2/neu treatment.

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KW - Bcl-2

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KW - HER-2/neu

KW - Immunohistochemistry

KW - Thymic carcinoma

KW - Thymoma

KW - p53

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Expression of apoptosis-related markers and HER-2/neu in thymic epithelial tumours

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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