rss
J Clin Pathol 2005;58:864-871 doi:10.1136/jcp.2004.024224
  • Original article

Comparison of liquid based cytology and histology for the evaluation of HER-2 status using immunostaining and CISH in breast carcinoma

  1. H Sartelet1,
  2. E Lagonotte1,
  3. M Lorenzato1,
  4. I Duval1,
  5. C Lechki1,
  6. C Rigaud2,
  7. J Cucherousset1,
  8. A Durlach1,
  9. O Graesslin3,
  10. P Abboud2,
  11. M Doco-Fenzy4,
  12. C Quereux3,
  13. B Costa2,
  14. M Polette5,
  15. J-N Munck2,
  16. P Birembaut1
  1. 1Laboratoire Pol Bouin, Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire de Reims, 45, Rue Cognacq-Jay, 51092 Reims Cedex, France
  2. 2Institut Godinot Reims, 1 rue du Général Koenig, 51100 Reims, France
  3. 3Service de Gynécologie Obstétrique, Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire de Reims
  4. 4Service Cytogénétique, Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire de Reims
  5. 5Unité INSERM U514, rue Cognacq Jay, 51092 Reims, France
  1. Correspondence to:
 Dr H Sartelet
 Laboratoire d’Histologie, Faculté de Médecine, 51, Rue Cognacq-Jay, 51095 Reims Cedex, France; hsarteletchu-reims.fr
  • Accepted 6 January 2005

Abstract

Background: HER-2 amplification is an important prognostic biomarker and treatment determinant in breast carcinoma.

Aims: To correlate immunocytochemical (ICC) expression of HER-2 and gene amplification determined by chromogenic in situ hybridisation (CISH) using liquid based cytology (LBC) with immunohistochemistry (IHC) and CISH using histological samples of the same breast carcinomas.

Methods: Frozen sections and cytobrushings of 103 breast carcinomas were analysed. Four techniques were performed on each tumour: two on LBC samples (ICC, and CISH, both graded as positive, indeterminate, or negative) and two on histological samples (IHC and CISH). Two cell lines (MCF-7, negative; BT 474, positive) were used as controls for cytological analysis. A complementary fluorescence in situ hybridisation technique was carried out in histological samples with low amplification (4–10 dots/nucleus).

Results: Interobserver agreement for the four techniques calculated by the κ coefficient indicated a substantial agreement. Nine cases failed in cytology because of poor cellularity. Among 94 cases, 19 were amplified; 73, 12, and 9 tumours were scored 0 or 1+, 2+, and 3+, respectively by IHC and 75, 13, and 6, respectively, by ICC. CISH found no amplification in 72 tumours. Correlations between the IHC and CISH results in the histological and cytological samples were always significant.

Conclusions: Her-2 status could be determined in LBC samples and correlated well with reference histological methods using in situ hybridisation. ICC was less reliable because of the presence of the cytoplasmic membrane. However, these results should be confirmed by a large multicentre study.

Footnotes

    This Article

    1. Abstract
    2. Full text
    3. PDF

    Responses

    1. Submit a response
    2. No responses published

    Social bookmarking

    Latest from JCP Education

    Latest from JCP Education

    Register for free content


    Free sample
     This recent issue is free to all users to allow everyone the opportunity to see the full scope and typical content of JCP.
    View free sample issue >>

    Free archive
    The full back archive is now available for JCP. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006, back to volume 1 issue 1.
    Register to access the free archive >>

    Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.

    • Latest Pathology jobs

    Latest Pathology jobs

    Show me all Pathology
    jobs >>