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- Title
COX-2 and Her-2/neu are overexpressed in Paget’s disease of the vulva and the breast: results of a preliminary study.
- Authors
Horn, Lars-Christian; Purz, Sandra; Krumpe, Christine; Bilek, Karl
- Abstract
Paget’s disease (PD) of the breast as well as the vulva is a rare condition that accounts for about 4% of breast neoplasms and 1% of vulvar malignancies. Recurrent disease after breast and vulvar surgery might be a challenge. To evaluate relevant molecules therapeutically, tissue from mammary and vulvar PD lesions was investigated immunohistochemically. Histopathologic samples from 11 patients with mammary PD and eight patients with vulvar PD were stained with antibodies against estrogen and progesterone receptors, HER-2/neu and COX-2 followed by semiquantitative evaluation of the staining results. All tested mammary lesions as well as seven out of eight vulvar PD were negative for estrogen and progesterone receptors. Strong membranous staining for HER-2/neu (Score 3) was seen in all cases. Six out of 8 vulvar and 10 out of 11 mammary PD showed COX-2 overexpression. PD of the breast and vulva are negative for estrogens and progesterons, therefore, anti-hormonal therapy is not indicated. The high frequency of Her-2/neu and COX-2 overexpression, however, suggests that these molecules could be therapeutically relevant in patients with PD. These results require further investigation.
- Subjects
BREAST diseases; VULVA; TUMORS; HER2 protein; CYCLOOXYGENASE 2; IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY; GYNECOLOGY
- Publication
Archives of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 2008, Vol 277, Issue 2, p135
- ISSN
0932-0067
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00404-007-0434-1