HER2/neu expression status of post BCG recurrent non-muscle-invasive bladder urothelial carcinomas in relation to their primary ones

Background: Transurethral resection (TUR) followed by adjuvant therapy is still the treatment of choice of Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma (NMIBUC). However, recurrence is one of the most troublesome features of these lesions. Early second resection and adjuvant BCG therapy has been shown to improve the outcome. Objective: To evaluate the prognostic value of C-erbB-2 (HER2/neu) expression status in Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma cases, before and after intravesical Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG immunotherapy). Materials and methods: HER2/neu expression was studied in 120 (Ta-T1) Non-Muscle-Invasive Urothelial Carcinoma cases. The expression was evaluated and compared to the expression after Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) immunotherapy. Results: HER2/neu expression in low and high grade of the Non- Muscle-Invasive Urothelial Carcinoma was (38%) and (83%) respectively. The difference of the expression rates by tumor grade was statistically significant. In recurring lesions post BCG therapy, C-erbB-2 expression was markedly decreased (31.6%) when compared to its expression before therapy (65%). Conclusions: The HER2/neu expression increased as the tumor grade rose. The reduction in expression following BCG treatment in Non-Invasive transitional cell carcinoma cases could reflect a reduction of the potential malignancy of the tumor

Clinico-Pathological Features and Immunohistochemical Comparison of p16, p53, and Ki-67 Expression in Muscle-Invasive and Non-Muscle-Invasive Conventional Urothelial Bladder Carcinoma

Introduction: The identification of bladder detrusor muscle invasion in urothelial cancer is essential for prognosis and management. We studied the clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical expression of p16, p53, and Ki-67 in urothelial detrusor muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and urothelial non-detrusor muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) in Egyptian patients. Methods: Sixty-two bladder urothelial cancer cases obtained through TURBT were included and divided into two groups: (MIBC, stage T2) and NMIBC (T1). Tissue blocks were recut and re-examined microscopically; then, the immunostaining of p16, p53, and Ki-67 was performed to compare both groups and evaluate the 13% cut-off for Ki-67, 20% for p53, and p16 intensity in various conditions aided by telepathology technology. Results and conclusion: Hematuria was the main clinical first presentation, with no significant difference between either group. The mean age was 61.6 years, with male predominance (52 males and 10 females). The absence of papillary histological pattern was associated with a higher stage, including detrusor muscle invasion (p = 0.000). The overall average percent of p53 immunostaining was 12.9%, revealing no significant difference between MIBC and NMIBC when a cut-off of 20% was implicated. The Ki-67 expression was correlated with higher grade and muscle invasion; however, no association was found with the other two markers’ expression. The negative immunostaining of p16 was associated with low grade and NMIBC in the case of the preservation of the papillary pattern. We recommend further studies on the cut-off of widely used markers and more immunohistochemical and genetic studies on the p16(INK4A), taking into consideration the histological pattern of conventional carcinomas