Correlation of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2/neu) receptor status with hormone receptors Oestrogen Receptor, Progesterone Receptor status and other prognostic markers in breast cancer: an experience at tertiary care hospital in Karachi

Objective: to determine the frequency of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (her-2/neu) positivity and to correlate its status in breast cancer patients with other prognostic markers. methods: the comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at the department of histopathology, liaquat national hospital, karachi, from january 1 to october 31, 2010. it included all specimens of mastectomy and lumpectomy with axillary tissue. incisional, trucut and wedge biopsies as well as all non-epithelial tumours were excluded. all samples were processed as per standard guidelines and were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. spss 10 was used for statistical analysis. results: the age of the 100 cases in the study ranged from 20 to 82 years with a mean of 51±17.6 years. two (2%) of the patients were males. her-2/neu over-expression increased with increasing tumour size, grade, lymph node metastasis and with oestrogen receptor and progesterone receptor negativity. no significant correlation of her-2/neu was seen with the age of patient and with the tumour type.conclusions: the expression of her-2/neu was associated with decrease in oestrogen receptor and progresteronereceptor positivity, and increase in tumour size, high tumour grade and lymph node metastasis.