Pattern of expression of HER2/neu and p53 in premalignant and malignant lesions of uterine cervix

Abstract

Methods: It was a descriptive study conducted in histopathologically diagnosed cervical biopsy specimens of carcinoma cervix and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia received in the Department of Pathology, Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram from 2015 to 2017. Sample size was 50 and immunohistochemical analysis for HER-2/neu and p53 was  performed and graded with histopathology as gold standard and analysed for expression of HER-2/neu and p53 and  compared with type, grade and stage of tumour. The association was  tested using Chi-square test. Results : Out of 50 cases, 24 (48%) were negative, 16 (32%) with 1+ positivity, 9 (18%) with 2+ positivity and 1 (2%) were showing 3+ HER-2/neu expression and it had correlation  with higher clinical stage but a statistical correlation was not es­tablished between grade of SCC and intensity of HER-2/neu staining .Out of 50 cases, 17 (34%) were negative, 15(30%) were hav­ing 1+ positivity p53 expression, 10(20%) were show­ing 2+ positivity and 8 (16%) were showing 3+ positivity. Statistical correlation was es­tablished between grade of SCC and intensity of p53 staining  but was not established between p53 expression and stage of tumor. Conclusion: The present study indicates that the intensity of HER-2 expression did not increase progressively as grade of lesion increased but showed correlation  with higher clinical stage and higher expression among  malignant cases as compared to premalignant lesion . There is no evidence to suggest that the overexpression of p53 may be useful as a prognostic indicator.

Keywords:  Cervical lesions; cervix; HER-2/neu expression; immunostaining