HER2 expression in cervical squamous cell carcinoma: high prevalence of HER2-low/ultralow and spatiotemporal heterogeneity across tumor evolution.

ABSTRACT: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression and gene amplification are established biomarkers in breast and gastric cancers. However, their role in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) remains unclear. We evaluated 548 untreated primary CSCC lesions (313 biopsies and 235 hysterectomies). Initial immunohistochemistry (IHC) results were: 0 (56.9%), 1+ (26.3%), 2+ (equivocal, 14.1%), and 3+ (positive, 2.7%). Fluorescence in situ hybridization confirmed HER2 gene amplification in all 3+ cases and 5.2% of 2+ cases. Based on reclassification, HER2 status was categorized as HER2-null (24.4%), HER2-ultralow (32.5%), HER2-low (39.6%), and HER2-positive (3.5%). HER2 discordance rates were observed in 48.3% of paired biopsies and hysterectomy specimens, 52.2% of post-neoadjuvant

SUBMITTER: Liu W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12753676 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature