This is an immunoperoxidase stain of a breast carcinoma demonstrating the characteristic perimembranous pattern of staining for the c-erb-B2 (HER2/neu) oncogene. The HER-2/neu oncogene encodes a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor with extensive homology to the epidermal growth factor
receptor. This oncogene may be overexpressed in approximately 25% of early stage breast cancers. HER-2/neu may be an important independent prognostic factor in early stage breast cancer and may predict a poorer prognosis and poor response to antiestrogenic drugs such as tamoxifen. However, detection of HER2/neu overexpression can help select patients with metastatic breast cancer in whom the genetically engineered monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin) may be of value.
| Our winner is: David A. Wiese PhD MD of Swartz Creek, Michigan, USA
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