关键词: 食管癌, HER-2/neu, 免疫组织化学, 荧光原位杂交

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To investigate HER-2/neu protein expression and gene amplication in esophageal carcinoma and to explore their clinicopathological correlations. METHODS：The clinical data of 167 patients admitted in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University，from 2000 to 2006，were reviewed.The HER-2/neu protein expression and gene status in 167 esophageal carcinomas were evaluated using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)．Categorical variables were compared by the Pearson chi-square test or Fisher's exact test and the survival rate was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test．RESULTS：HER-2 overexpression associated significantly with HER-2 gene amplification.There was a correlation between the overexpression of HER-2 and the differentiation of the carcinoma，the HER-2 gene amplification and the differentiation and stage of the carcinoma. According to univariate analysis，there was a significant difference in survival rates when cases with and without HER-2/neu overexpression or amplification were compared. CONCLUSION：HER-2/neu amplification may constitute an independent prognostic factor in esophageal squamous cancer patients，and patients exhibiting HER-2/neu amplification might constitute potential candidates for new adjuvant therapies which involve the use of humanized monoclonal antibodies.

Key words: esophageal carcinoma, HER-2/neu, immunohistochemistry, fluorescence in situ hybridization