The role of Her 2 neu and N-cadherin expression in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hemida, Aiat; Elazab, Dina Shehata; Holah, Nanis Shawky

doi:10.21608/jcbr.2020.48042.1087

The role of Her 2 neu and N-cadherin expression in hepatocellular carcinoma

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Pathology department, Faculty of medicine, Menoufia University.

² Pathology department, National liver institute, Menoufia University

³ pathology department, faculty of medicine, menoufia university, Egypt

10.21608/jcbr.2020.48042.1087

Abstract

Background: Despite advances in diagnosis and surgery, p < /span>atients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)show bad prognosis and high recurrence rate. Therefore, it is important to search for new targeted therapy and prognostic markers. Aim: To evaluate the expression levels of Her2 neu and N-cadherin in HCC and whether they could be used as prognostic markers. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 40 HCC specimens retrieved from the archival cases of Pathology Department, National liver institute, Menoufia University, Egypt, spanning the period between January 2010 to December 2017. Overall survival time was available for 28 patients only. All specimens were stained by Her2 neu and N-cadherin antibodies using the streptavidinbiotin- peroxidase technique. Results: There was significant association between high Her2 neu expression and good prognostic parameters as absent lymphovascular invasion, low grade (P value = 0.028 and 0.049 respectively) and also was associated with low pathological stage but the results didn't reach the level of significance. However there was significant association between low N-cadherin score of expression and good prognostic parameters as low grade (p value = 0.022). Also, there is inverse association between Her 2 neu and N- Cadherin expression in HCC (P value = 0.000). Conclusion: The anti-Her 2 target therapy might not be valuable for HCC patients and also larger studies are recommended to explore potential alternative targeted Her2 enhancer or promoter as well as to understand the exact biological role of Her 2 neu in HCC.

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