Abstract

PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS USING CELL-BLOCKS CAN SUCCESSFULLY BE USED IN PLACE OF TISSUE BIOPSIES IN DIAGNOSING HER2 POSITIVE TUMORS IN BREAST CANCER PATIENTS

Divya Verma, Nisha Raj, Pallavi Prasad, Rangnath Mishra, Amit Agarwal and Ram Nawal Rao*

Abstract

About 12% of women are likely to develop breast cancer in course ofthe life time and out of which only about one third are caused byextremely high expression of Her2/neu. Level of Her2/neu is animportant prognostic and predictive marker in breast carcinoma and adeciding factor while targeting with Trastuzumab. Routinely testing ofHer2/neu is performed on histological sections which is comparativelya more invasive process. A very few reports are available whichrecognized Her2/neu status on Cell Blocks (CBs) which can be donewithout disturbing the tissue lumps. Aim of this study was to comparethe results of Her2/neu expression by ICC on cellblock with IHC oncorresponding histology specimen. We included 41 cases of breast carcinoma to make CBsand performed ICC for Her2/neu. FISH for Her2/neu was performed on CB sections in 20cases only. ICC findings corresponded with those of FISH on CBs and also withcorresponding histological specimens. Correlation between immunostaining on CBs and oncorresponding histology specimen revealed a good agreement between the two methods (withKappa 0.755 and specificity 96.97%). FISH of Her2/neu on CBs also showed 100%sensitivity and 75% specificity (P < 0.001) with IHC in both groups of the samples. Inconclusions, the expression of Her2/neu on CB is a rapid, cost effective and minimallyinvasive procedure for early diagnosis of breast carcinoma which could be a very useful toolused for prognostic purposes with therapeutic implications in future.

Keywords: Breast carcinoma, Her2/neu, Cell block (CB), Immunocytochemistry (ICC) fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), fine needle aspiration (FNA).