Characteristics of HER2-negative breast cancers with FISH-equivocal status according to 2018 ASCO/CAP guideline.
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ABSTRACT: Background
According to 2018 ASCO/CAP guideline, HER2 FISH-equivocal breast cancers will be categorized as HER2 negative except those with IHC 3+. However, whether or not HER2 FISH-equivocal breast cancers was a heterogeneous group has not been well illustrated.Methods
195 HER2 FISH-equivocal breast cancer samples were collected from 2014 to 2018. The molecular subtype was identified according to 2013 St Gallen consensus, and HER2 status was also re-determined following 2018 ASCO/CAP guideline. All samples were classified into 4 groups according to the average HER2 copy number (4.0-4.4, 4.5-4.9, 5.0-5.4, 5.5-5.9 signals/cell). The relationship between HER2 copy number and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed.Results
183 (93.8%) of 195 FISH-equivocal cases were classified as luminal-like subtype, while the other 12 (6.2%) were undetermined. Following 2018 ASCO/CAP guideline, all FISH-equivocal cases were recategorized as HER2 negative. Therefore, 31(15.9%) cases were luminal A-like, 152 (77.9%) were luminal B-like (HER2 negative) and 12 (6.2%) were triple negative. The average HER2 copy number showed a positive correlation with chromosome 17 polysomy, but had no significant association with other clinicopathological parameters as well as prognosis. 17 (8.7%) patients were treated with trastuzumab, but showed no difference in prognosis with those who didn't receive targeted therapy.Conclusions
In this study, all HER2 FISH-equivocal breast cancers were recategorized as HER2 negative according to 2018 ASCO/CAP guideline. Most of these patients were luminal B-like (HER2 negative). The average HER2 copy number had no significant association with clinicopathological parameters, as well as prognosis.
SUBMITTER: Kong H
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8742337 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Importance:The 2013/2014 American Society of Clinical Oncology and College of American Pathologists (ASCO-CAP) guidelines for HER2 testing by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) designated an "equivocal" category (average HER2 copies per tumor cell ?4-6 with HER2/CEP17 ratio <2.0) to be resolved as negative or positive by assessments with alternative control probes. Approximately 4% to 12% of all invasive breast cancers are characterized as HER2-equivocal based on FISH. Objective:To evaluate the following hypotheses: (1) genetic loci used as alternative controls are heterozygously deleted in a substantial proportion of breast cancers; (2) use of these loci for assessment of HER2 by FISH leads to false-positive assessments; and (3) these HER2 false-positive breast cancer patients have outcomes that do not differ from clinical outcomes for patients with HER2-negative breast cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants:We retrospectively assessed the use of chromosome 17 p-arm and q-arm alternative control genomic sites (TP53, D17S122, SMS, RARA, TOP2A), as recommended by the 2013/2014 ASCO-CAP guidelines for HER2 testing, in patients whose data were available through Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC) and whose tissues were available through the Breast Cancer International Research Group clinical trials. We used data from an international cohort database of invasive breast cancers (1980 participants) and international clinical trial of adjuvant chemotherapy in invasive, node-positive breast cancer patients. Main Outcomes and Measures:The primary objectives were to (1) assess frequency of heterozygous deletions in chromosome 17 genomic sites used as FISH internal controls for evaluation of HER2 status among HER2-equivocal cancers; (2) characterize impact of using deleted sites for determination of HER2-to-internal-control-gene ratios; (3) assess HER2 protein expression in each subgroup; and (4) compare clinical outcomes for each subgroup. Results:Of the 1980 patients in METABRIC,1915 patients were fully evaluated. In addition, 100 HER2-equivocal breast cancers by FISH and 100 comparator FISH-negative breast cancers from the BCIRG-005 trial were analyzed. Heterozygous deletions, particularly in specific p-arm sites, were common in both HER2-amplified and HER2-not-amplified breast cancers. Use of alternative control probes from these regions to assess HER2 by FISH in HER2-equivocal as well as HER2-not-amplified breast cancers resulted in high rates of false-positive ratios (HER2-to-alternative control ratio ?2.0) owing to heterozygous deletions of control p-arm genomic sites used in ratio denominators. Misclassification of HER2 status was observed not only in breast cancers with ASCO-CAP equivocal status but also in breast cancers with an average of fewer than 4.0 HER2 copies per tumor cell when using alternative control probes. Conclusions and Relevance:The indiscriminate use of alternative control probes to calculate HER2 FISH ratios in HER2-equivocal breast cancers may lead to false-positive interpretations of HER2 status resulting from unrecognized heterozygous deletions in 1 or more of these alternative control genomic sites and incorrect HER2 ratio determinations.
| S-EPMC6439848 | biostudies-literature
Project description:We quantified human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) RNA and protein expression in 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP) in situ hybridization (ISH) group 4 (HER2/centromeric probe 17 (CEP17) ratio <2.0, average HER2 copy number ?4.0 and <6.0, and 2013 ASCO/CAP ISH equivocal) breast cancers. Breast cancers in 2018 ASCO/CAP ISH group 4 between 2014 and 2017 were identified from the Yale archives. Sixty-three patients (34 with HER2 immunohistochemistry (IHC) 0/1+ and 29 with HER2 IHC 2+) were included. We compared patient characteristics, systemic treatments, and outcomes. We assessed HER2 by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and quantitative immunofluorescence (QIF). Among ISH group 4 cancers, higher HER2 mRNA (P?<?0.0001) but similar HER2 protein levels were observed in IHC 2+ compared to IHC 0/1+ cancers. The distribution of RT-qPCR and QIF scores were independent of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) ratio/copy number. Concordance between HER2 RT-qPCR and QIF was 69.8% (r?=?0.52). Among 29 patients with IHC2+ results, 16 were HER2 positive by RT-qPCR and 12 were HER2 positive by QIF. Systemic treatment, recurrence, and survival outcomes were comparable among ISH group 4 cancers regardless of IHC 0/1+ or 2+ results. ISH group 4 cancers appear to form a distinct group with intermediate levels of RNA/protein expression, close to positive/negative cut points. Therefore, adjudication into positive or negative categories may not be meaningful. Our results support the 2018 ASCO/CAP recommendation to refrain from routine additional testing of these samples. Additional outcome information after trastuzumab treatment for patients in this special group might help to guide treatment decisions in these patients.
| S-EPMC6715641 | biostudies-literature
Project description:PurposeThe 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP) guideline on HER2 testing in breast cancer permits reclassification of cases with HER2-equivocal results by FISH. The impact of such reclassification is unclear. We sought to determine the proportion of HER2-equivocal cases that are reclassified as HER2-negative and the impact of anti-HER2 therapy on survival in HER2-equivocal cases.MethodsWe reviewed medical records of breast cancer patients who had HER2 testing by fluorescence in stitu hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) performed or verified at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center during April 2014 through March 2018 and had equivocal results according to the 2013 ASCO/CAP guideline. The population was divided into 2 cohorts according to whether the biopsy specimen analyzed came from primary or from recurrent or metastatic disease. HER2 status was reclassified according to the 2018 ASCO/CAP guideline. Overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the relationship between anti-HER2 therapy and clinical outcomes was assessed.ResultsWe identified 139 cases with HER2-equivocal results according to the 2013 ASCO/CAP guideline: 90 cases of primary disease and 49 cases of recurrent/metastatic disease. Per the 2018 ASCO/CAP guideline, these cases were classified as follows: overall, HER2-negative 112 cases (80%), HER2-positive 1 (1%), and unknown 26 (19%); primary cohort, HER2-negative 85 (94%), HER2-positive 1 (1%), unknown 4 (4%); and recurrent/metastatic, HER2-negative 27 (55%) and unknown 22 (45%). Five patients in the primary-disease cohort and 1 patient in the recurrent/metastatic-disease cohort received anti-HER2 therapy. There was no significant association between anti-HER2 therapy and OS or EFS in either cohort (primary disease: OS, p = 0.67; EFS, p = 0.49; recurrent/metastatic-disease, OS, p = 0.61; EFS, p = 0.78.ConclusionsThe majority of HER2-equivocal breast cancer cases were reclassified as HER2-negative per the 2018 ASCO/CAP guideline. No association between anti-HER2 therapy and OS or EFS was observed. HER2-equivocal cases seem to have clinical behavior similar to that of HER2-negative breast cancers.
| S-EPMC7660495 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Dual-probe fluorescence in situ hybridization (D-FISH) is a widely accepted method to determine the gene amplification status of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her-2). In 2013, the American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP) updated the guidelines on the Her-2 testing for invasive breast cancer (BCa). The interpretation criteria for D-FISH changed accordingly. In this study, we compared the Her-2 FISH statuses based on the 2013 and 2007 ASCO/CAP guidelines in 1931 cases of BCa with Her-2 D-FISH testing at our hospital. We analyzed the clinicopathologic features of cases with equivocal results by the 2013 ASCO/CAP guidelines. Although the guideline update significantly improved the detection rate of Her-2 amplification, it also significantly increased the rate of equivocal results, posing a dilemma for clinical management. The equivocal results had a good reproducibility. The distribution of D-FISH-equivocal cases did not correlate with Her-2 status by immunohistochemistry, suggesting that Her-2 D-FISH equivocality may not reflect Her-2 overexpression. Compared with Her-2-negative cases by D-FISH, Her-2 D-FISH-equivocal cases had higher Ki67 expression, higher histological grade, more frequent lymph node metastasis, and lower estrogen receptor ? expression, indicating a group of BCa with worse prognosis. The clinical significance of Her-2-equivocal results by D-FISH warrants further investigation.
| S-EPMC5600490 | biostudies-literature
Project description:PURPOSE:While HER2 testing is well established in directing appropriate treatment for breast cancer, a small percentage of cases show equivocal results by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Alternative probes may be used in equivocal cases. We present a single community-based institution's experience in further evaluating these cases. PATIENTS AND METHODS:Between 2014 and 2016, 4255 samples were submitted for HER2 amplification testing by alternative probes, TP53, RAI1, and RARA. Of the patients tested by FISH, 505/3908 (12.9%) also had IHC data. RESULTS:Most (73.9%) FISH equivocal cases remained equivocal after IHC testing. However, 50.5% of equivocal cases were classified as HER2 amplified by alternative probes. Most cases were positive by more than one probe: 78% of positive cases by RAI1 and 73.9% by TP53. There was a significant difference between IHC and FISH alternative testing (p?<?0.0001) among the equivocal cases by conventional FISH testing, 44% of IHC negative cases became positive while 36% of the positive IHC cases became negative by alternative FISH testing. Available data showed that 41% of patients were treated with palbociclib and were positive by alternative FISH. CONCLUSION:The prevalence of double HER2 equivocal cases and the discrepancy between IHC and alternative FISH testing suggest that FISH alternative testing using both RAI1 and TP53 probes is necessary for conclusive classification. Because almost half of FISH equivocal cases converted to HER2 amplified upon alternative testing, clinical studies to determine the benefit of anti-HER2 therapy in these patients are urgently needed.
| S-EPMC5999182 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The 2007 American Society of Clinical Oncology and College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP) joint guidelines defined criteria for HER2 positivity of tumors that modified those of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), causing some confusion and uncertainty among clinicians. Using data from the HER2-positive breast cancer adjuvant trial N9831, we compared eligibility for patients who met both criteria, and disease-free survival (DFS) was assessed by Cox proportional hazards regression. The number of patients in the N9831 trial retrospectively eligible for trastuzumab therapy was decreased when ASCO/CAP criteria vs FDA criteria were applied to immunohistochemistry and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization results (107 [3.7%] of 2904 patients with immunohistochemistry results, 37 [1.3%] of 2809 patients with fluorescence in situ hybridization results, and 47 [1.7%] of 2809 patients with both results). Improvement in DFS was similar among patients treated with trastuzumab under either set of criteria (concurrent trastuzumab and chemotherapy compared with chemotherapy alone: by ASCO/CAP criteria, hazard ratio of DFS = 0.59, 95% confidence interval = 0.48 to 0.73; by FDA criteria but not ASCO/CAP criteria, hazard ratio = 0.60, 95% confidence interval = 0.12 to 3.13; number needed to treat to prevent one additional DFS event at 5 years: 10 and 11.2 patients, respectively). Following the 2007 ASCO/CAP criteria for HER2 positivity would negate the option of potentially life-saving trastuzumab therapy for a small but meaningful group of patients. We recommend using FDA-approved HER2 criteria for therapeutic decision making.
| S-EPMC3260130 | biostudies-literature
Project description:AIMS: HER2 testing of invasive breast cancer by in-situ hybridisation guides therapy decisions. Probing HER2 and cen17 simultaneously is supposed to reveal both a potential HER2 gene amplification and polysomy 17. However, a considerable number of breast cancer patients with quasi polysomy 17 are considered "equivocal" which is diagnostically meaningless. Moreover, patients with equivocal / false polysomic tumours are prevented from a potentially beneficial anti-HER2 treatment. Here we evaluated the RAI1, D17S122, and TP53 hybridisation markers to reliably indicate true polysomy and to accurately reclassify equivocal samples as HER2-positive. METHODS AND RESULTS: Samples with (n = 82) and without (n = 52) increased cen17 copy numbers and 78 evidently HER2-amplified specimens were analysed using dual and triple marker hybridisation probes. Selected putative polysomic samples were subjected to array-based comparative genomic hybridisation. We found that 37.8% samples with putative polysomy 17 did not show any gain in RAI1, D17S122, or TP53. Accordingly, aCGH revealed evidence for the presence of HER2/cen17 coamplification rather than for true polysomy in those cases. Reflex testing using alternate 17p markers reclassified up to 56.3% equivocal cases as HER2-positive and the combined assessment of a 17p and 17q locus allows the differentiation of true vs. false polysomy. CONCLUSIONS: An increased cen17 copy number does not necessarily reflect polysomy and reflex testing facilitates the reclassification of "equivocals". Nevertheless, the prognostic and predictive value of a HER2/cen17 coamplification versus HER2 gene amplification alone must still be prospectively evaluated. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
2017-01-01 | GSE86305 | GEO
Project description:This article reviews the clinically most relevant presentations at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting 2018 on the topic of metastatic breast cancer. In the randomized placebo-controlled phase 3 trial MONALEESA-3, testing ribociclib vs. placebo in combination with fulvestrant in postmenopausal women or men with hormone receptor-positive (HR+) and HER2-negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC), an increase of median progression-free survival (PFS) from 12.8 months to 20.5 months by the addition of the CDK4/6 inhibitor was reported (HR 0.59; P > 0.01). Taselisib, an alpha specific PI3K inhibitor, was tested in combination with fulvestrant in pretreated HR+/HER2- ABC patients with PIK3CA mutations in the placebo-controlled phase 3 trial SANDPIPER. PFS was significantly longer (7.4 months vs 5.4 months; HR 0.70, P < 0.01) but severe adverse events were more frequent (32% and 9%) in the taselisib group. In triple-negative breast cancer, the AKT inhibitor capivasertib (AZD5363) was combined with paclitaxel as first-line treatment in the placebo-controlled phase 2 trial PAKT. In patients with altered PIK3CA, AKT1 or PTEN, median PFS increased from 3.7 months to 9.3 months (HR 0.30; two-sided P = 0.01). No treatment effect was shown in the non-altered group. The most common adverse events attributed to capivasertib were diarrhea, fatigue and stomatitis. Results of two phase I trials of trastuzumab antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) indicated HER2 as a non-oncogenic surface target in breast cancer patients expressing HER2.
| S-EPMC6280779 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAnti-EGFR antibody-based treatment is an important therapeutic strategy for advanced colorectal cancer (CRC); despite this, several mutations--including KRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutations, and HER2 amplification--are associated with the mechanisms underlying the development of resistance to anti-EGFR therapy. The aim of our study was to investigate the frequencies and clinical implications of these genetic alterations in advanced CRC.MethodsKRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutations were determined by Cobas real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 191 advanced CRC patients with distant metastasis. Microsatellite instability (MSI) status was determined by a fragmentation assay and HER2 amplification was assessed by silver in situ hybridization. In addition, KRAS mutations were investigated by the Sanger sequencing method in 97 of 191 CRC cases.ResultsMutations in KRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA were found in 104 (54.5%), 6 (3.1%), and 25 (13.1%) cases of advanced CRC, respectively. MSI-high status and HER2 amplification were observed in 3 (1.6%) and 16 (8.4%) cases, respectively. PIK3CA mutations were more frequently found in KRAS mutant type (18.3%) than KRAS wild type (6.9%) (P = 0.020). In contrast, HER2 amplifications and BRAF mutations were associated with KRAS wild type with borderline significance (P = 0.052 and 0.094, respectively). In combined analyses with KRAS, BRAF and HER2 status, BRAF mutations or HER2 amplifications were associated with the worst prognosis in the wild type KRAS group (P = 0.004). When comparing the efficacy of detection methods, the results of real time PCR analysis revealed 56 of 97 (57.7%) CRC cases with KRAS mutations, whereas Sanger sequencing revealed 49 cases (50.5%).ConclusionsKRAS mutations were found in 54.5% of advanced CRC patients. Our results support that subgrouping using PIK3CA and BRAF mutation or HER2 amplification status, in addition to KRAS mutation status, is helpful for managing advanced CRC patients.
| S-EPMC4798471 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background: The promising aspect of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is its rapid turnaround and non-invasive nature. According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and College of American Pathologists joint ctDNA review published in March 2018, there is not sufficient evidence to support the use of ctDNA in practice for GI cancers. However, there were numerous studies presented at ASCO Annual Meeting supporting its value. We aimed to summarize on its role in the management of gastrointestinal cancers based on the studies presented recently, and future directions. Methods: We limited our search to keywords "ctDNA," "circulating tumor DNA," "cell-free DNA (cfDNA)" and/or "liquid biopsy," at the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting library abstracts and presentations. Results: There were 35 studies that revolved around ctDNA as a diagnostic tool, prognostic marker and/or a measure of tumor heterogeneity in gastrointestinal cancers. Depending on the assay used, the results of several studies showed that ctDNA was able to identify relevant mutations or fusions including RAS, HER2/Neu, BRAF, MET, BRCA2, APC, TP53, ALK, ROS1, PTEN, and NF1. The prognosis in terms of tumor mutation burden, objective response rate, metastasis and survival were also estimated by various studies based on ctDNA. The findings showed that higher baseline ctDNA levels and/or increased number of mutations detected in ctDNA were associated with poor survival and multi-site metastasis. Right-sided colon cancer was associated with higher number of mutations in ctDNA than left-sided colon and rectal cancers. Similarly, tubular adenocarcinoma subtype of gastric cancer was more likely to have higher ctDNA levels than signet-ring cell subtype. The feasibility of assessing response to therapy and residual metastatic disease by using ctDNA which was otherwise not detected on imaging was also presented. Conclusions: The studies presented at ASCO 2018 report on the many ways ctDNA is of value in patients with gastrointestinal malignancies. Experts and discussants at the meeting argued that this may well indeed be ready for prime time for certain GI malignancies including colorectal cancers, especially in the metastatic setting. These findings alongside ongoing studies showing its feasibility into practice would likely lead to revision of the current guidelines for metastatic GI cancers.
| S-EPMC6519295 | biostudies-literature