Investigating the Levels of Shed Extracellular Domain of HER2 Protein in the Sera of Bladder Cancer Patients
Journal Title: Middle East Journal of Cancer - Year 2019, Vol 10, Issue 1
Abstract
Background: Receptor tyrosine-protein kinase ERBB2, also known as human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2), is heterogeneously expressed in a variety of human cancers, including bladder cancer. Based on previous studies that show its association with bladder cancer progression, HER2 has been included in novel multiplatform biomarkers for prediction of bladder cancer prognosis. However, the clinical significance of HER2 status remains underinvestigated and poorly linked to the patients’ clinicopathological features. Here, we aim to scrutinize the levels of the extracellular domain of HER2 in the sera of bladder cancer patients and correlate these levels with clinicopathological features of the tumor. Methods: In the present analytical cross-sectional study, we enrolled 60 pathologically confirmed bladder cancer patients along with 20 age-sex matched healthy controls, and compared their serum HER2 levels as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results:We observed no statistically significant difference when comparing the levels of HER2 in the sera of cases and controls (P>0.05). Interestingly, serum HER2 levels of controls were higher than bladder cancer patients who had lymph node metastasis (P=0.036). Serum levels of HER2 were also higher in controls than bladder cancer patients with perineural invasion (P=0.028). We observed significantly higher HER2 serum levels in transitional cell carcinoma patients in comparison to non-transitional cell carcinoma patients (P=0.016). Conclusion: Our observations are suggestive of the absence of any association between bladder cancer prognostic factors and serum HER2 levels. To draw any definitive conclusion, further studies with larger sample sizes that examine the presence of neutralizing auto-antibodies against serum HER2, immunohistochemistry examination of HER2 in bladder tumor and lymph node samples, and urinary HER2 levels, along with measurement of its serum levels would be helpful.
Authors and Affiliations
Ali Ariafar, Mehrnoosh S. Hasheminejad, Shabnam Abtahi, Abbas Ghaderi
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP443494
- DOI -
- Views 95
- Downloads 0
Metastatic Urothelial Tumor Progression Following First Line Chemotherapy: Prognostic Factors and Importance of Second Line Chemotherapy
Background: Limited data exists to support the benefit from second-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma. Factors that predict survival following progression after first-line platinum-based r...
Institution-based Assessment of Cancer Patients Treated by External Beam Radiotherapy in the Rural Area of Sindh, Pakistan: Five Years of Data Analysis
Background: Nuclear Medicine Oncology and Radiotherapy Institute Nawabshah (NORIN) is a newly established full-fledged healthcare facility for diagnosis, treatment, and research of all cancer types in rural areas of Sind...
Congenital Giant Melanocytic Nevus with Malignant Melanoma of the Pleura: Do Primary Pleural Melanomas Exist?
Cases of primary pleural and bronchial melanoma have been described in the literature in the absence of melanocytic cells in the pleura and bronchi. We described a case of congenital giant melanocytic nevus that had a pr...
Low-grade Myxofibrosarcoma in the Mandible: A Rare Case Report
Myxofibrosarcoma is a malignant neoplasm of connective tissue origin commonly found in the extremities. It is very rare in the head and neck regions. Only 25 cases of myxofibrosarcoma have been reported in the head and n...
Pain Coping Strategies and Their Relationship with Unpleasant Emotions (Anxiety, Stress, and Depression) and Religious Coping in Cancer Patients
Background: Coping strategies affect patients’ perceptions of pain severity, their ability to tolerate pain, duration of daily activities, and emotions. This study aims to determine the relationship between pain coping a...