UNLABELLED Targeted therapies often depend on the expression of the target present in the tumor. This expression can be difficult to ascertain in widespread metastases. (18)F-FDG PET/CT, although sensitive, is nonspecific for particular tumor markers. Here, we compare the use of a human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-specific (18)F-Z(HER2)(:342)-Affibody and (18)F-FDG in HER2-express...

AIM To investigate human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2) protein expression and gene amplification in Chinese metastatic prostate cancer patients and their potential value as prognostic factors. METHODS Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to investigate HER2 protein expression in prostate biopsy specimens from 104 Chinese metastatic prostate cancer patients. After 3-11 mon...

Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer accounts for 15% of all cancers and this subtype was historically associated with poor outcomes. The development HER2-directed therapies has dramatically improved outcomes patients early advanced HER2+ disease. Trastuzumab is a HER2-targeted monoclonal antibody first approved the treatment in late 1990s. Since then, it been ...

Amplification and/or overexpression of the human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) oncogene occurs in about 13-15% of invasive breast cancer and triggers breast cancer cell proliferation, survival and metastatic progression. Around half of all breast cancers with HER2 overexpression co-express hormone receptors (HR) such as those for estrogen and progesterone. Aberrant signaling through HER2 and...

BACKGROUND In 2010, Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries began collecting human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) receptor status for breast cancer cases. METHODS Breast cancer subtypes defined by joint hormone receptor (HR; estrogen receptor [ER] and progesterone receptor [PR]) and HER2 status were assessed across the 28% of the US population that is covered by SEER r...

Background A wide range of response rates have been reported in HER2-positive gastric cancer (GC) patients treated with trastuzumab. Other HER2-targeted therapies for GC have yet to show efficacy in clinical trials. These findings raise question about the ability of standard HER2 diagnostics to accurately distinguish between GC patients who would and would not benefit from anti-HER2 therapies. ...

The use of radionuclide molecular imaging enables the selection of patients for treatment using molecular medicine. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that a novel low-molecular-weight affinity ligand, Affibody molecule Z(HER2:342) can image the expression of HER2 with high sensitivity and specificity in tumour xenografts and has a potential for the selection of patients for treatment using ...

Full-length HER2 oncoprotein and splice variant Delta16 are co-expressed in human breast cancer. We studied their interaction in hybrid transgenic mice bearing human full-length HER2 and Delta16 (F1 HER2/Delta16) in comparison to parental HER2 and Delta16 transgenic mice. Mammary carcinomas onset was faster in F1 HER2/Delta16 and Delta16 than in HER2 mice, however tumor growth was slower, and m...

HER2 is a receptor tyrosine kinase and its upregulation via activating mutations or amplification has been identified in some malignant tumors, including lung cancers. Because HER2 can be a therapeutic target in HER2-driven malignancies, it is important to understand the molecular mechanisms of HER2 activation. In the current study, we identified that cytokeratin 19 (KRT19) binds to HER2 at the...

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD Differential levels of HER2 expression in normal versus HER2-overexpressing breast carcinomas, together with the demonstration of a key role for HER2 in tumor progression, make HER2 an ideal target for specific therapeutic approaches. AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW This review considers the clinical value of trastuzumab and lapatinib, the two HER2-targeted therapies appr...