Expression of Estrogen Receptor (Er), Progesterone Receptor (Pr), Her2/Neu in Various Types of Epithelial Ovarian Tumors Publisher



Ameli F^{1, 2} ; Entezarian M² ; Masir N² ; Chin TG² Show Affiliations
Source: Journal of Obstetrics# Gynecology and Cancer Research Published:2024

Abstract

Background & Objective: The highest mortality rate in gynecologic cancers is attributed to ovarian origin. Expression of the estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER and PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2/neu) in endometrial cancer and breast cancer was found to be associated with the response to treatment and prognosis. However, because of inconsistent results from previous studies, the data regarding ovarian cancer is still inconclusive. Materials & Methods: The current retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on 234 tissue samples of different types of ovarian tumors (benign, borderline and malignant) from the archive of the University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center (UKMMC) during 10 years. Tissue microarrays (TMAs) were constructed on representative areas of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks using ER, PR and HER2 immunohistochemical staining. Results: The prevalence of ER and PR overexpression was 36% and 35% in benign tumors, 8% and 24% in borderline tumors and 51% and 46% in malignant tumors, respectively. ERα overexpression was more common among serous malignant ovarian tumors (49%) (P<0.001). PR positivity was more prevalent in serous benign tumors (P=0.02). There was no significant relationship between the stage of the tumor and the status of ERα (P=0.12) and PR (P=0.19). Her2/neu overexpression was only seen in borderline neoplasms (8%) and malignant mucinous tumors (4%). No association was found between Her2/neu overexpression and the level of tumor differentiation, clinical stage, tumor size, or patient’s age. Conclusion: The observed ER positivity in serous carcinoma and Her2/neu overexpression in malignant mucinous tumors, could be considered as a clue for choosing therapeutic agents. The role of anti-HER2 therapy in clear cell carcinoma is still debated and needs more investigation. © 2024, Farname Inc. All rights reserved.