Journal of the Chinese Medical Association
Volume 71, Issue 3 , Pages 123-127, March 2008

An Investigation of the Differential Expression of Her2/neu Gene Expression in Normal Oral Mucosa, Epithelial Dysplasia, and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Taiwan

  • Yao Fong

      Affiliations

    • Department of Surgery, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • ,
  • Shan-Ju Chou

      Affiliations

    • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • School of Dentistry, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • ,
  • Kai-Feng Hung

      Affiliations

    • Department of Dentistry, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Sindian, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • ,
  • Ho-Tai Wu

      Affiliations

    • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • School of Dentistry, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • ,
  • Shou-Yen Kao

      Affiliations

    • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • School of Dentistry, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to: Dr Shou-Yen Kao, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 201, Section 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei 112, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Received 19 October 2007; accepted 25 January 2008.

Background

Her2/neu was thought to be a proto-oncogene with sequence homology to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Its overexpression was seen in many cancers and referred to regimens of anticancer therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the abnormal expression existed in oral carcinogenesis.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect Her2/neu expression in normal oral mucosa (NOM) (n = 20), oral precancerous lesions of epithelial dysplasia (ED) (n = 20), and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) (n = 30). The association of clinicopathologic covariates of areca use, tumor size, neck lymph node metastasis, differentiation and stages of cancer with the expression of Her2/neu was examined. The significance of Neu immunoreactivity in different groups or with different covariates was investigated using Fisher's exact test.

Results

Her2/neu immunoreactivity was very low with Her2/neu(+) in 10% (2/20) of NOM cases and in 25% (5/20) of ED cases, respectively. The Her2/neu expression was high in OSCC cases, with 40% (12/30) of Her2/neu(+) and 10% (3/30) of Her2/neu(++). Significant difference was observed between NOM/ED and OSCC cases (p < 0.05). All clinicopathologic covariates showed no significant relation to the expression of Her2/neu in OSCC cases.

Conclusion

These findings suggested a dynamic change in Her2/neu expression during the development of OSCC. The overexpression of Her2/neu can be used as a marker in distinguishing NOM/ED from OSCC.

Key Words:  areca , differential expression , Her2/neu , oral cancer

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PII: S1726-4901(08)70003-0

doi:10.1016/S1726-4901(08)70003-0

Journal of the Chinese Medical Association
Volume 71, Issue 3 , Pages 123-127, March 2008

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