Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
HER2 protein found in canine anal sac gland cancer
By Yoshimoto, Sho et al.·Published in The Journal of veterinary medical science·2019·Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Detection of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 overexpression in canine anal sac gland carcinoma.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that 80% of dogs with anal sac gland carcinoma (a type of cancer in the glands near the anus) showed high levels of a protein called HER2, which is often targeted in cancer treatments. This aggressive cancer can be challenging to treat, but the presence of HER2 suggests that medications like trastuzumab, which are used in human cancers, might also help dogs with this condition. The researchers believe that targeting HER2 could improve outcomes for dogs suffering from anal sac gland carcinoma. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and explore treatment options.
People also search for: dog anal sac gland cancer treatment · HER2 in dogs · anal sac carcinoma in dogs · trastuzumab for canine cancer
Abstract
Canine anal sac gland carcinoma (ASGC) frequently occurs in the apocrine glands of the canine anal sac and shows aggressive biological behavior. The expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) has been reported in various human and canine tumors. HER2 is a promising therapeutic target of these tumors, and HER2-targeted drugs, such as trastuzumab and lapatinib, have improved the outcome of these patients. In this study, HER2 expression in ASGC was evaluated to investigate its potential as a therapeutic target for canine ASGC. HER2 mRNA expression in surgically resected ASGC tissues was significantly higher than that in normal anal sac tissue. To evaluate the expression of HER2 protein, paraffin-embedded ASGC tissues were immunohistochemically evaluated. Strong and broad staining of HER2 was detected in ASGC tissues, while HER2 was weakly to moderately stained in normal anal sac apocrine glands and squamous epithelia. The degree of HER2 expression in ASGC tissues was scored based on its intensity and positivity (score: 0-3+). Scoring of HER2 expression revealed 6 samples (24%) scored 3+, 14 (56%) scored 2+, and 5 (20%) scored 1+, with no samples scoring 0. In all, 80% of canine ASGC tissues were positive for HER2 (scored ≥2+). Furthermore, putative HER2-overexpressed cells in ASGC were detected with trastuzumab by flow cytometry. These preliminary data may lead to further evaluation of the role of HER2 in canine ASGC as a mechanism of malignancy and as a therapeutic target for HER2-targeted therapy.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31142682/