J Breast Cancer.  2010 Sep;13(3):267-274.

Branched-chain Assay for ER, PR, and HER2 RNA Levels is a Useful Adjunct in the Evaluation of ER, PR, and HER2 in Breast Cancer

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Preventive Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 2Department of Surgery, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 3Department of Hospital Pathology, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. klee@catholic.ac.kr

Abstract

PURPOSE
The status of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER2 is critical in patients undergoing breast cancer treatment. We performed this study to evaluate the QuantiGene Reagent System as a clinical test for detecting ER, PR, and HER2 RNA levels in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue.
METHODS
The RNA levels of ER, PR and HER2 were measured using the QuantiGene2.0 assay in FFPE tissue from breast cancer patients (n=40) and compared with ER and PR immunohistochemistry results and HER2 fluorescence in situ bybridization (FISH) results.
RESULTS
When the cut-off values for ER, PR, and HER2 RNA levels were 5.0, 7.2, and 50, respectively, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value of the QuantiGene 2.0 Assay were 96.6%, 90%, 96.7%, and 90%, for ER; 89.7%, 81.8%, 92.9%, and 75% for PR; and 83.3%, 96.4%, 90.9%, and 93.1% for HER2, respectively. The Allred scores for ER and PR as well as the HER2 FISH ratio were correlated with RNA levels (p=0.046, r=0.32; p<0.001, r=0.61; p<0.001, r=0.75, respectively).
CONCLUSION
We demonstrated that the ER, PR, and HER2 RNA levels as measured by the QuantiGene 2.0 assay were reproducible and correlated well with immunohistochemistry and FISH results. Measuring ER, PR, and HER2 RNA levels from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue using the QuantiGene 2.0 assay, which was a relatively simple technique easily performed in a usual laboratory, appeared to a helpful adjunct in determining the status of ER, PR, and HER2 in breast cancer.

Keyword

erbB-2 receptor; Estrogen receptors; Immunohistochemistry; Progesterone receptors; RNA

MeSH Terms

Breast
Breast Neoplasms
Estrogens
Fluorescence
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Receptor, erbB-2
Receptors, Estrogen
Receptors, Progesterone
RNA
Sensitivity and Specificity
Estrogens
RNA
Receptor, erbB-2
Receptors, Estrogen
Receptors, Progesterone

Figure

  • Figure 1 A receiver operating curve for estrogen receptor (ER) (A), progesterone receptor (PR) (B), and HER2 (C) was drawn to identify the cut-off value for negative vs. positive with the highest sensitivity and specificity.

  • Figure 2 The estrogen receptor (ER)/progesterone receptor (PR) Allred scoring showed a positive correlation with normalized ER/PR RNA levels (A, B). The HER2/CEP17 ratio showed a strong positive correlation with normalized HER2 RNA levels (C).


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