HER2 and Ovarian Cancer: A Retrospective Study Investigating Clinico-Pathological Correlations

Background: Ovarian cancer is the deadliest type of gynecologic malignancy. While it ranks third after cervical and uterine cancers, its prognosis is the gloomiest. Aim: To assess the relationship between the expression of HER2/neu marker in ovarian cancer subtypes and its implications for the prognosis of ovarian cancer. Methods: a cross-sectional study involving a total of 50 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded samples of surface epithelium ovarian cancer were collected with associated patients clinicopathological information including age, laterality, size, types, grades. HER2/neu protein was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and scored using a semiquantitative method. Results: Patients age ranged between 25 to 74 years, with a mean of 50.2 (± 4.8) years. 11.4% of serous cases, 16.6% of mucinous cases, 13.5% of unilateral cases, 12.5% of tumors greater than or equal to 10 centimeters, and 14.8% of cases with metastasis exhibited HER2/NEU overexpression. Nonetheless, no statistical significance was found in these observations. HER2/neu expression was absent in all endometroid carcinomas. Conclusions: Although HER2 expression is comparatively higher in ovarian mucinous and serous carcinomas, its impact on epithelial ovarian malignancies may not be substantial when all histological subtypes and clinicopathological variables are considered.