Open Access

HER2-positive gastric cancer identified by serum HER2: A case report

  • Authors:
    • Mayuko Saito
    • Yujiro Kawakami
    • Kentaro Yamashita
    • Hiroshi Nasuno
    • Yu Ishimine
    • Koichiro Fukuda
    • Hiroyuki Isshiki
    • Ryo Suzuki
    • Yoshiaki Arimura
    • Yasuhisa Shinomura
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: April 19, 2016     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.4470
  • Pages: 3575-3578
  • Copyright: © Saito et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) are the current standards methods for the determination of tissue human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status in gastric cancer, as for breast cancer. However, HER2‑positive gastric cancer occasionally exhibits heterogeneous tissue HER2 overexpression, raising concern regarding false‑negative results in unresectable cases diagnosed by biopsy samples. Serum HER2, the concentration of the extracellular domain of HER2 protein shed into the bloodstream, has the potential to supplement the use of IHC or FISH to determine HER2 status. However, the clinical significance of serum HER2 has not been well studied in gastric cancer. The present study describes an illustrative case of metastatic gastric cancer initially diagnosed as HER2‑negative (IHC score 1+). The patient exhibited an elevated serum HER2 level, which prompted a reevaluation of the tissue by IHC, using an alternative antibody, and FISH; re‑biopsy analyses confirmed the case as HER2‑positive, and trastuzumab was subsequently added to the combination chemotherapy with capecitabine and cisplatin. Serum HER2 may aid in avoiding false‑negative diagnoses of HER2 gastric cancer.
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June-2016
Volume 11 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1792-1074
Online ISSN:1792-1082

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Spandidos Publications style
Saito M, Kawakami Y, Yamashita K, Nasuno H, Ishimine Y, Fukuda K, Isshiki H, Suzuki R, Arimura Y, Shinomura Y, Shinomura Y, et al: HER2-positive gastric cancer identified by serum HER2: A case report. Oncol Lett 11: 3575-3578, 2016.
APA
Saito, M., Kawakami, Y., Yamashita, K., Nasuno, H., Ishimine, Y., Fukuda, K. ... Shinomura, Y. (2016). HER2-positive gastric cancer identified by serum HER2: A case report. Oncology Letters, 11, 3575-3578. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.4470
MLA
Saito, M., Kawakami, Y., Yamashita, K., Nasuno, H., Ishimine, Y., Fukuda, K., Isshiki, H., Suzuki, R., Arimura, Y., Shinomura, Y."HER2-positive gastric cancer identified by serum HER2: A case report". Oncology Letters 11.6 (2016): 3575-3578.
Chicago
Saito, M., Kawakami, Y., Yamashita, K., Nasuno, H., Ishimine, Y., Fukuda, K., Isshiki, H., Suzuki, R., Arimura, Y., Shinomura, Y."HER2-positive gastric cancer identified by serum HER2: A case report". Oncology Letters 11, no. 6 (2016): 3575-3578. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.4470