Prognostic value of Her-2/neu and clinicopathologic factors for evaluating progression and disease-specific death in Chinese men with prostate cancer

Abstract

Background Her-2/neu gene overexpression has been found in several malignancies, and is associated with poor prognosis; while its role in the tumorigenesis and progression of prostate cancer (PCa) is still controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of Her-2/neu protein expression and clinicopathologic factors in antiandrogen-treated Chinese men with PCa for disease progression and PCa-specific death. Methods Her-2/neu protein expression was determined using immunohistochemistry (IHC) in specimens collected from 124 prostate biopsies and transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) from seven prostate cancer patients. Results Her-2/neu protein expression was 0, 1+, 2+, and 3+ in 40 (30.5%), 8 (6.1%), 67 (51.1%), and 16 (12.2%) cases, respectively. Her-2/neu protein expression showed significant correlation as judged by Gleason score (P=0.049), clinical tumor-node-metastases (cTNM) stage (P=0.018) and disease progression (P=0.001), but did not correlate with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (P=0.126) or PCa-specific death (P=0.585). PSA (P=0.001), Gleason score (P=0.017), cTNM (P=0.000) and Her-2/neu protein expression (P=0.001) had prognostic value for evaluating the progression of PCa in univariate analysis. In Kaplan-Meier plots, both Gleason score (P=0.035) and cTNM (P=0.013) correlated with PCa-specific death. In multivariate analysis, only cTNM was significant for both disease progression (P=0.001) and PCa-specific death (P=0.031). Conclusions Her-2/neu protein expression is significantly correlated with Gleason score, cTNM and disease progression, although it is not an independent predictor of disease progression and PCa-specific death. cTNM staging serves as an independent prognostic factor for disease progression and PCa-specific death.