Role of human epidermal growth factor receptor in oesophageal cancer

Abstract

HER2 has an influence on cell cycle and survival. HER2 is overexpressed in a significant proportion of cases of oesophageal cancer. The results from our meta-analysis highlight a high prevalence of HER2 positivity in subjects with adenocarcinoma. HER2+ appears to decrease the survival time of oesophageal cancer patients. We further performed a meta-analytic review that HER2 clearly plays a key role in the pathogenesis of gastric and oesophageal carcinomas. We further assessed incidence of HER2 positivity and its relationship with clinicopathological features in a large Australian cohort (152 patients) with oesophageal cancer. A prevalence rate of 9.9% was found HER2 among patients with oesophageal cancer and no correlation with survival was detected overall. Targeted therapy towards this subgroup would offer a mortality benefit and improve survival. The 5-year survival of nearly 44% after surgical resection for oesophageal adenocarcinoma is superior to any other form of therapy that has been described so far, and Ivor Lewis oesophagectomy continues to play a central role in the treatment of this disease. The prognostic influence of HER2 overexpression in oesophageal cancer remains uncertain. Given the established advantage of trastuzumab in HER2-positive gastric cancer, further appraisal of HER2-directed therapy for oesophageal cancer appears indicated given the inconsistent incidence of HER2 overexpression in oesophageal cancer.