Introduction
Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in the women not only worldwide
but also in India.[1] Breast cancer patients have good overall survival when treated with combination
of surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and hormonal therapy as
per the indication.[2] Estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor (ER and PR) and c-erb B-2 protein (HER2/neu)
status remain one of the most important factors in determining response to treatment
and prognosis of disease. The use of various hormonal agents such as selective ER
modulators tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors anastrozole and letrozole depends exclusively
on the expression of ER/PR,[3] whereas the use of recently developed novel-targeted agents such as trastuzumab,
pertuzumab, and lapatinib depends exclusively on the expression of HER2/neu receptors.[4]
[5]
Subjects and Methods
The present study was carried out on female breast cancer patients registered in the
department of Radiotherapy, SMS Medical College and Hospital, Jaipur; during year
2015–2016 with histopathologically proven diagnosis of invasive breast cancer and
a pathology review available from our institute. A total of 288 patients were found
eligible. Various patients’, tumor- nd treatment-related parameters were recorded
after obtaining consent from the patient. The biopsy was analyzed immunohistochemically
for ER, PR, and HER2/neu expression. Equivocal HER2 (2+) was further confirmed by
fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) assay. Number of patients who actually received HER2/neu-targeted
therapy (trastuzumab and/or lapatinib) among eligible ones was also studied. The biopsy
sample analyzed for hormone receptor status was the initial one, before any chemotherapy,
targeted therapy, definitive surgery, radiotherapy, or hormonal therapy. For the new
cases reporting in the department, biopsy was taken and sample was analyzed at our
institute. For the postoperated-referred patients with the history of neoadjuvant
chemotherapy, the prechemo biopsy sample was analyzed at institute and such patients
were included only if the material was found to be adequate at least for ER/PR analyses.
Cases without initial prechemo sample or with inadequate sample for proper review
were excluded from the study. All those patients with equivocal HER2/neu (2+ on immunohistochemistry
[IHC]) who denied for FISH analysis were also excluded from the study.
All cases were immunohistochemically evaluated for ER, PR, and HER2/neu expression
using standard immunoperoxidase method. The tests were interpreted with internal controls.
Immunostaining was carried out on thin sections of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded
tissue with fixation within 1 h in 10% neutral buffered formalin for at least 6 h
and no longer than 72 h. ER and PR were scored as per Allred score which is a semi-quantitative
system that takes into consideration the proportion of positive cells (Proportion
score – 0 for none positive cell, 1 for 1%, 2 for 1%–10%, 3 for 10%–33%, 4 for 33%–66%,
and 5 for 66%–100% positive cells) and staining intensity (intensity score – 0 for
no stain, 1 for weak, 2 for intermediate, and 3 for strong staining). The two scores
were then summed to produce total scores of 0 through 8. A score of 0–2 was regarded
as negative, while 3–8 as positive.[6]
[7] HER2/neu scoring of IHC slides was done as per the recommended American Society
of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP) guidelines 2013.
Score 0 and 1 were interpreted as negative, score 2 as equivocal, and score 3 as positive.[8]
For equivocal HER2/neu, cases were referred for the FISH assay in the referral laboratories
as the facility for FISH was not available in our institute. The fields containing
invasive tumor component with nonoverlapping tumor nuclei were chosen for interpretation
for FISH. The total number of red and green signals counted in the tumor nuclei was
recorded. The ratio of the HER2 (red) to chromosome enumeration probe (CEP) 17 (green)
signals for at least 20 cells was calculated. The cutoff point for HER2/neu amplification
was a HER2/CEP 17 ratio of ≥2.0, with an average HER2 copy number of ≥4.0 signals/cell.
Appropriate positive and negative controls were run with the test samples in the referral
laboratories. The interpretation of the FISH assay was done following the ASCO/CAP
guidelines recommendation 2013.[8]
[9]
Statistical analysis
For statistical analysis, all data were recorded and analyzed on Microsoft Excel 2007
and XLSTAT software version 2017 for Windows (Addinsoft, New York, USA). Chi-square
test was used for categorical data. The P value reports were two-tailed and an alpha level of 0.05 was used to assess statistical
significance.
Results
Baseline patient and tumor characteristics are shown in [Table 1] and [Figure 1]. Most of the patients were older than 40 years, postmenopausal belonging to the
urban background. Most of the tumors were right sided, situated in upper outer quadrant,
infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC), not otherwise specified on histopathological
examination (HPE), Grade III, and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage
IIB.
Table 1
Patient and tumour characteristics of overall breast cancer and triple negative breast
cancer
|
Parameters
|
Overall Cohort, n (%)
|
TNBC, n (%)
|
P
|
|
AJCC – American Joint Committee on Cancer, HPE – Histopathological Examination; IDC
– Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma; ILC – Infiltrating Lobular Carcinoma; LIQ – Lower
Inner Quadrant; LOQ – Lower Outer Quadrant; N – Nodal; T – Tumor; TNBC – Triple Negative
Breast Cancer; UIQ – Upper Inner Quadrant; UOQ – Upper Outer Quadrant
|
|
Age (years)
|
|
|
|
|
≤40
|
84 (29)
|
32 (36.3)
|
0.20
|
|
>40
|
204 (71)
|
56 (63.7)
|
|
|
Geographic distribution
|
|
|
|
|
Rural
|
115(40)
|
45 (51)
|
0.29
|
|
Urban
|
173 (60)
|
43 (49)
|
|
|
Menopausal status
|
|
|
|
|
Pre
|
120 (41.7)
|
49 (55.6)
|
0.02
|
|
Post
|
168 (58.3)
|
39 (44.4)
|
|
|
Site
|
|
|
|
|
Left
|
135 (47)
|
32 (36.3)
|
0.08
|
|
Right
|
153 (53)
|
56 (63.7)
|
|
|
Quadrant
|
|
|
|
|
UOQ
|
124 (43)
|
47 (53.6)
|
0.16
|
|
UIQ
|
37 (13)
|
15 (17)
|
|
|
Central
|
78 (27)
|
15 (17)
|
|
|
LOQ
|
29 (10)
|
8 (9)
|
|
|
LIQ
|
20 (7)
|
3 (3.4)
|
|
|
HPE
|
|
|
|
|
IDC
|
278 (96.7)
|
88 (100)
|
0.37
|
|
ILC
|
6 (2)
|
0
|
|
|
Mucinous
|
3 (1)
|
0
|
|
|
Others
|
1 (0.3)
|
0
|
|
|
Grade
|
|
|
|
|
I
|
14 (5)
|
5 (5.6)
|
0.37
|
|
II
|
112 (39)
|
27 (30.7)
|
|
|
III
|
162 (56)
|
56 (63.7)
|
|
|
AJCC stage
|
|
|
|
|
I
|
0
|
0
|
0.12
|
|
IIA
|
80 (28)
|
21 (23.8)
|
|
|
IIB
|
86 (30)
|
25 (28.5)
|
|
|
IIIA
|
66 (23)
|
19 (21.7)
|
|
|
IIIB
|
6 (2)
|
1 (1.1)
|
|
|
IIIC
|
35 (12)
|
10 (11.3)
|
|
|
IV
|
15 (5)
|
12 (13.6)
|
|
|
T stage
|
|
|
|
|
T1
|
17 (6)
|
4 (4.5)
|
0.004
|
|
T2
|
150 (52)
|
64 (72.9)
|
|
|
T3
|
89 (31)
|
12 (13.6)
|
|
|
T4
|
32 (11)
|
8 (9)
|
|
|
N stage
|
|
|
|
|
N0
|
80 (28)
|
36 (41)
|
0.12
|
|
N1
|
104 (36)
|
26 (29.5)
|
|
|
N2
|
64 (22)
|
18 (20.5)
|
|
|
N3
|
40 (14)
|
8 (9)
|
|
Figure 1: Association of overall breast cancer and triple negative breast cancer with
various patient and tumour related factors
Receptor expression pattern, distribution of HER2/neu expression and the use of HER2-targeted
therapy is shown in [Table 2]. The present study favored ER positive (56% vs. 44%), PR negative (59% vs. 41%),
and HER2/neu negative (60% vs. 15%) status in invasive breast cancer. In the present
study, HER2/neu status was unknown in about a quarter of patients. This percentage
was quite large and was because of either the lack of tissue or poor preservation
of the specimen. The equivocal HER2/neu, that is, 2+ on IHC, was further tested by
FISH assay. More than half of equivocal HER2/neu cases showed amplification on FISH.
The eligible cases for targeted therapy were those with either HER2/neu 3+ on IHC
or HER2/neu 2+ with positive FISH test. Only one-fourth of eligible cases for targeted
therapy actually received it.
Table 2
Overall receptor expression pattern in entire cohort, Distribution of Her2/neu expression
and the use of Her2 targeted therapy
|
Parameters
|
Number (%)
|
|
+ – Positive; - – Negative; ER – Estrogen Receptor; FISH – Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization;
IHC – Immunohistochemistry; PR – Progesterone Receptor; TNBC – Triple Negative Breast
Cancer
|
|
Subtype Classification
|
|
|
Hormone Responsive (ER &/or PR +)
|
165 (57.3)
|
|
Her2/neu +
|
43 (15)
|
|
TNBC (ER-PR-Her2-)
|
88 (30.5)
|
|
Her2/neu expression
|
|
|
Negative
|
173 (60)
|
|
IHC 0
|
98
|
|
IHC 1+
|
62
|
|
IHC 2+, FISH -
|
13
|
|
Positive
|
43 (15)
|
|
IHC 2+, FISH +
|
17
|
|
IHC 3+
|
26
|
|
Unknown
|
72
|
|
Targeted therapy
|
|
|
Eligible patients
|
43
|
|
Therapy taken
|
12 (28)
|
|
Not taken
|
31 (72)
|
|
Source of finance
|
|
|
Self-finance
|
9 (75)
|
|
Insurance
|
3 (25)
|
The percentage of triple-negative phenotype (ER-/PR-/HER2-) was higher as compared
to the Western world (29.8%). ER and/or PR expression increased and triple-negative
phenotype decreased with increasing age, but this was not found to be statistically
significant in our study [Table 1].
[Table 3] and [Figure 2] shows association of HER2/neu expression with various prognostic factors. HER2/neu
expression was not significantly associated with age (P = 0.87), menopausal status (P = 0.86), and site of the tumor (P = 0.76). All HER2/neu+ cases in our study were IDC on HPE, none other phenotype expressed
HER2 positivity. HER2/neu protein overexpression was significantly higher with large
tumor size (P = 0.001), high tumor grade (P < 0.001), advanced stage (P = 0.01), greater number of positive lymph nodes (P = 0.02), and ER and/or PR negative status (P < 0.001).
Table 3
Association of various patient and tumour characteristics with Her2/neu expression
|
Baseline characteristics
|
Her2/neu + (n, %)
|
Her2/neu – (n, %)
|
P
|
|
+ – Positive; - – Negative; AJCC – American Joint Committee on Cancer; ER – Estrogen
Receptor; IDC – Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma; ILC – Infiltrating Lobular Carcinoma;
PR – Progesterone Receptor
|
|
Age (years)
|
|
|
|
|
≤40
|
14 (20.5)
|
54 (79.5)
|
0.87
|
|
>40
|
29 (19.6)
|
119 (80.5)
|
|
|
Menopausal status
|
|
|
|
|
Pre
|
17 (19.4)
|
71 (80.6)
|
0.86
|
|
Post
|
26 (20.4)
|
102 (79.6)
|
|
|
Site
|
|
|
|
|
Left
|
19 (19)
|
81 (81)
|
0.76
|
|
Right
|
24 (20.7)
|
92 (79.3)
|
|
|
Histopathology
|
|
|
|
|
IDC
|
43 (29)
|
163 979)
|
0.46
|
|
ILC
|
0
|
6 (100)
|
|
|
Mucinous
|
0
|
3 (100)
|
|
|
Others
|
0
|
1(100)
|
|
|
Grade
|
|
|
|
|
I
|
1 (8.3)
|
11 (91.7)
|
<0.001
|
|
II
|
5 (5.9)
|
80 (94.1)
|
|
|
III
|
85 (31)
|
82 (69)
|
|
|
Tumour size (cm)
|
|
|
|
|
<2
|
1 (9)
|
10 (91)
|
0.001
|
|
2-5
|
17 (14.4)
|
101 (85.6)
|
|
|
>5
|
14 (21.5)
|
51 (78.5)
|
|
|
T4 lesion
|
11 (50)
|
11 (30)
|
|
|
Lymph nodes involved
|
|
|
|
|
0
|
10 (16.7)
|
50 (83.4)
|
0.08
|
|
1-3
|
13 (17.8)
|
60 (82.2)
|
|
|
4-9
|
7 (13.7)
|
44 (86.3)
|
|
|
≥10
|
13 (40.6)
|
19 (59.4)
|
|
|
AJCC stage
|
|
|
|
|
IIA
|
9 (13.6)
|
57 (86.4)
|
0.01
|
|
IIB
|
11 (15.7)
|
59 (84.3)
|
|
|
IIIA
|
8 (18.6)
|
35 (81.4)
|
|
|
IIIB
|
1 (25)
|
3 (75)
|
|
|
IIIC
|
7 (31.8)
|
15 (68.2)
|
|
|
IV
|
7 (63.7)
|
4 (36.3)
|
|
|
Estrogen Receptor
|
|
|
|
|
+
|
5 (5.5)
|
86 (94.5)
|
<0.001
|
|
-
|
38 (30.4)
|
87 (69.6)
|
|
|
Progesterone Receptor
|
|
|
|
|
+
|
4 (6.5)
|
57 (93.5)
|
0.002
|
|
-
|
39 (25.1)
|
116 (74.9)
|
|
|
Hormone Responsive
|
|
|
|
|
Either ER or PR+
|
7 (7.5)
|
87 (92.5)
|
<0.001
|
|
Both ER & PR-
|
36 (29.5)
|
86 (70.5)
|
|
Figure 2: Association of Her2/neu expression with various patient and tumour related
factors
Discussion
In the present study, most of the tumors were ER + (n = 161, 56%), PR − (n = 170, 59%), and HER2/neu − (n = 173, 60%). Therefore, endocrine-responsive tumors, that is, those expressing at
least one among ER or PR (ER and/or PR+) comprised 57.3% (n = 165) of all invasive carcinomas. This is in agreement with what has been reported
in the literature. In a study among 2001 Indian patients, Ghosh et al. have reported hormone responsive phenotype in 51.2% patients.[10] In a study conducted by Chen et al., hormone responsive phenotype was seen in 75% of the patients, but this study was
conducted on only 64 patients who expressed HER2/neu.[11] Ahmed et al. studied hormone expression in 137 Yemeni women and found expression of ER, PR, HER2/neu
in 43.8%, 27%, and 30.6% patients, respectively.[12] Faheem et al. studied hormone expression in 1226 Pakistani women and found ER, PR, and HER2/neu
positivity in 763 (62.2%), 738 (60.1%), and 478 (38.9%) patients, respectively.[13]
In the present study, HER2/neu expression was present in 15% (n = 43) patients. This is slightly lower than 22% reported by Ghosh et al. in 2001 Indian patients,[10] 30.6% by Ahmed et al. in 137 Yemeni women,[12] and 38.9% by Faheem et al. in 1226 Pakistani women.[13] This may be explained by the fact that in the present study, HER2/neu expression
was unknown in 72 (25%) patients. This was quite high and was mainly because many
of the tumor blocks referred from outside were poorly preserved or had insufficient
tissue for review.
Equivocal HER2/neu (HER2 2+ on IHC) was seen in 30 (10.4%) patients. These were the
candidates for FISH assay. On applying FISH, out of these thirty patients, 17 (56.7%)
turned out to be positive, so the final number of HER2/neu + patients was 43, that
is, 15% (26 patients with HER2/neu 3+ expression on IHC and 17 patients with HER2/neu
2+ on IHC with HER2 amplification by FISH). Ghosh et al. have also reported similar finding in their report, HER2/neu scoring was negative,
that is, 0/1 in 1424 (71.2%), 2+ in 163 (8.1%), and 3+ in 335 (16.7%) patients. 65.3%
of HER2/neu 2+ showed amplification on FISH assay.[10] This mandates the implication of FISH test for equivocal HER2/neu patients.
The percentage of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) defined as lack of expression
of all three receptors, was higher in the present study as compared with the Western
world (n = 88, 30.5%) but was consistent with most other reports from the nation. Ghosh et al. have reported TNBC phenotype in 29.8% patients.[10] On subgroup analysis in the present study, on comparing with overall cohort of breast
patients, TNBC was found to be significantly higher in premenopausal women (P = 0.02) and T2 tumors (P = 0.004), this is consistent with the findings of Ghosh et al.[10] The rate of hormone receptor positivity, that is, ER- and/or PR-positive irrespective
of HER2 status was higher in older age group, whereas TNBC was seen more common in
younger age group. Although ER and/or PR expression increased and triple-negative
phenotype decreased with increasing age, but this was not found to be statistically
significant in the present study.
A separate analysis was done for HER2/neu over expression in breast tumor. On initial
analysis, Her2/neu status was negative (IHC 0 or 1+) in 55.6% (n = 160), equivocal (IHC 2+) in 10.4% (n = 30), and positive (IHC 3+) in 9% (n = 26) patients. On applying FISH assay to equivocal HER2/neu, 17 out of 30 (56.7%)
showed HER2 amplification. Hence, the final status of HER2/neu expression was unknown
in 25% (n = 72), negative in 60% (n = 173; 160 HER2 0 or 1+ on IHC and 13 IHC 2+ with negative FISH) and positive in
15% (n = 43; 26 IHC 3+ and 17 IHC 2+ with positive FISH) patients.
HER2/neu expression was exclusively seen in IDC in the present study. No other tumor
subtype expressed HER2/neu overexpression. This was because of very less number of
other histopathology phenotypes (n = 10, 3.4%). In literature, there have been studies with more number of lobular carcinoma.
Hoff et al. in a study over 401 women found lobular carcinomas less likely to have HER2/neu
amplification than ductal carcinomas.[14] HER2/neu amplification was higher in high grade and metastatic tumors. In another
study, Rosenthal found HER2/neu amplification more in ductal (48%) than lobular (13%)
carcinoma (P < 0.001).[15] This is consistent with our result.
As far as grade of the tumor is concerned, HER2/neu overexpression was seen in 1/12
(8.3%) Grade I, 5/85 (5.9%) Grade II, and 37/119 (31%) Grade III tumors. This association
was statistically significant for higher tumor grade (P < 0.001). With respect to the tumor size, HER2/neu overexpression was seen in 1/11
(9%) T1 lesions, 17/118 (14.4%) T2 lesions, 14/65 (21.5%) T3 lesions, and 11/22 (50%)
T4 lesions. This association was statistically significant for larger tumor size (P = 0.008). With respect to the number of positive lymph nodes, HER2/neu overexpression
was seen in 10/60 (16.7%) N0 lesions, 13/73 (17.8) N1 lesions, 7/51 (13.7%) N2 lesions,
and 13/32 (40.6%) N3 lesions. This association was also statistically significant
(P = 0.02). With respect to AJCC stage of the tumor, HER2/neu overexpression was seen
in 9/66 (13.6%) Stage IIA, 11/70 (15.7%) Stage IIB, 8/43 (18.6%) Stage IIIA, 1/4 (25%)
Stage IIIB, 7/22 (31.8%) Stage IIIC, and 7/11 (63.7%) stage IV. This association again
was statistically significant with higher AJCC stage (P = 0.01). It can be inferred that HER2/neu expression increased with increasing size
and stage of the tumor. Almasri and Hamad studied association of expression of HER2/neu
with various prognostic parameters over 91 Jordanian breast cancer women and showed
that HER2/neu expression is inversely associated with age (P < 0.001 favoring young age) and directly related to large tumor size (P = 0.13) and node positivity (P = 0.29), but this did not reach statistical significance as nodal status was unknown
in 50% of their patients.[16] Faheem et al. studied hormone expression in 1226 Pakistani women and found significant association
between HER2/neu overexpression with premenopausal status (P < 0.001), large tumor size (P < 0.001), involvement of skin (P < 0.001) and lymph nodes (P < 0.001), and presence of distant metastases (P < 0.001).[13] However, no significant association was detected between ER, PR, HER2/neu and disease
recurrence.
The HER2/neu expression was found to be inversely associated with expression of ER
(38/125 [30.4%] ER-patients, P < 0.001) and PR (39/155 [25.1%] PR-patients, P = 0.002).
Thus, association of HER2/neu expression with endocrine-responsive tumor, that is,
expressing either ER or PR was inversely related (36/122 [29.5%] ER-PR-patients, P
< 0.001). However, no significant association was observed between HER2/neu expression
and age of the patients (P = 0.87), menopausal status (P = 0.86), and site of the tumor (P = 0.76). Faheem et al. found an inverse relationship between hormonal receptors expression and HER2/neu
expression.[13] Almasri and Hamad also showed that HER2/neu expression is inversely associated with
ER/PR expression (82% HER2+ patients were lacking ER and PR expression).[16]
The eligible cases for targeted therapy were those with either HER2/neu 3+ on IHC
(n = 26) or HER2/neu 2+ on IHC with HER2 amplification on FISH assay (n = 17). Out of these 43 eligible patients, only 12 (28%) actually opted for it. This
was largely because of higher cost of the therapy and its noninclusion in various
government aided social schemes for poor patients prevailing in the state at the time
of writing this article, so most of the patients were unable to bear the cost of the
treatment. Out of the 12 patients, 3 got the medicine from pensioners fund and the
remaining nine patients self-financed for it. Ghosh et al. have reported that out of 441 (22%) eligible patients, only 38 (8.6%) patients actually
received HER2-targeted therapy. Out of 38 patients, 20 (52.6%) received it as a part
of ongoing trial, 13 (34.2%) self-financed it, and remaining 5 (13.2%) were covered
under some insurance scheme.[10] Thus, the percentage of eligible cases for targeted therapy actually receiving it
is quite low (28%) in the present study.
Conclusion
Most of the breast cancer patients are hormone responsive, that is, ER and/or PR positive
and HER2/neu negative. The percentage of triple-negative phenotype is high. ER and/or
PR expression increased and triple-negative phenotype decreased with increasing age,
but this was not found to be statistically significant in the present study. HER2/neu
status remains unknown for about a quarter of the patients, largely because of poor
preservation of sample obtained at the periphery. More than half of the equivocal
HER2/neu on IHC shows HER2 amplification on FISH analysis mandating FISH assay to
be done for all HER2/neu equivocal cases. HER2/neu protein overexpression is significantly
higher with adverse features such as large tumor size, high grade, advanced stage,
greater number of positive lymph nodes, and negative ER/PR status; but not with age,
menopausal status, and site of the tumor. The percentage of eligible patients actually
receiving targeted therapy remains low.