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Journal of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation
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Reviews

The Role of the HER-2/neu Oncogene in Gynecologic Cancers

Frank D. Cirisano, MD

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California

Beth Y. Karlan, MD

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, #1740, Los Angeles, CA 90048; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California

Objective: The HER-2/neu proto-oncogene (also known as c-erbB2, neu, and HER2) encodes a 185-kDa transmembrane glycoprotein with intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity that resembles the receptor for epidermal growth factor. Aberrant HER-2/neu protein overexpression occurs in human gynecologic adenocarcinomas, including those of the ovary, endometrium, breast, fallopian tube, and cervix, and is secondary to gene amplification and/or overexpression of the p185HER2 protein.

Methods: A Medline literature search revealed numerous studies on HER-2/neu and tumor biology, cancer prognosis, and therapeutic targeting. We present a review of the literature pertinent to gynecologic malignancies.

Results: Overexpression of HER-2/neu was found to be a poor prognostic factor for survival from advanced-stage ovarian cancer, node-positive breast cancer, and endometrial cancer. Although a specific ligand has not been definitvely identified, HER-2/neu may have unusually complex activation pathways because it can from both homodimeric and heterodimeric associations with other related receptor proteins. Preliminary findings usggest that serum HER-2/neu levels may be used as a tumor marker in a subset of patients with tumors that overexpress the HER-2/neu receptor. Receptor-targeted therapeutics currently being studied include the use of receptor antibodies, liposomally delivered antisense DNA, antigen-activated cytotoxic lymphocytes, and adenovirus-mediated E1A delivery to overexpressing tumor cells.

Conclusion: HER-2/neu appears to play an important role in the biologic behavior of overian, endometrial, adn breast cancers and holds potential as a target for oncogene-directed therapies.

Key Words: HER-2/neu • gynecologic cancer • tumor marker • gene-targeted therapy

Journal of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, Vol. 3, No. 3, 99-105 (1996)
DOI: 10.1177/107155769600300301
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