Abstract: OBJECTIVE: There are two opposite views in whether the over_expression of HER2(human EGF receptor type 2) in esophageal carcinoma is associated with the short survival time of the patients. So, we did a further big study to provide some useful data. METHODS: The expression of HER2 in 341 specimens of esophageal carcinoma was detected by making tissue chips and using immunohistochemistry. The correlation between HER2 expression and the survival time of patients was estimated using the Kaplan_Meier method based on a retrospective study of ten years. RESULTS: The HER2 protein was over_expressed in most esophageal carcinoma tissues compared to normal esophageal epithelium. There is a correlation between the over_expression of HER2 and the differentiation of the carcinoma. The over_expression of HER2 in carcinoma was not associated with short survival time. CONCLUSION: Using the FDA scoring system, over_expression of HER2 protein was not a significant factor for poor prognosis of esophageal carcinoma patients.

Key words: HER2, esophageal carcinoma, expression on membrane, prognosis