HER2 Expression in Ovarian Mucinous Carcinomas in Tunisia

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Ovarian mucinous carcinoma has a poor prognosis in advanced stages and a poor responseto conventional chemotherapy. An efficient treatment is not yet available. We heere investigated HER2expression and the potential for trastuzumab therapy in ovarian mucinous tumors. Materials and <br/><b>Methods</b>:Immunohistochemistry was performed in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from 27 ovarian mucinoustumors including 14 carcinomas and 13 borderline tumors diagnosed in the Pathology Department, Farhet HachedHospital, Sousse, between 1993 and 2013. The HercepTest (DAKO) was used for immunohistochemistry. <br/><b>Results</b>:HER2 expression was observed in only one borderline tumor (7.7%) and in 14.3% of mucinous carcinomasof the ovary. <br/><b>Conclusions</b>: Our results suggest that trastuzumab therapy would be an option for patients withmucinous carcinoma when the tumor has HER2 overexpression.