Pharmacodiagnostic value of the HER family in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Two protooncogene products, EGFR (Her-1, c-erbB-1) and HER2 (Her-2/neu, c-erbB-2), have been reported to be frequently overexpressed in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In order to identify patients who may benefit from targeted cancer treatment for these two molecules, we determined the expression status of EGFR and HER2 in 129 HNSCC tumor specimens. Two pharmacodiagnostic kits (EGFR pharmDx(TM) and HercepTest(TM)) were used to identify HNSCC tumors that overexpress EGFR or HER2. Overexpression of EGFR was detected in 42.6% of the tumor specimens, while HER2 was only rarely expressed (overexpression was observed in just 3.1% of all cases). Given the necessity of new therapeutic modalities for patients suffering from HNSCC, treatment EGFR signaling inhibitors appears to be warranted, whereas therapeutic intervention with HER2 inhibitors seems to be inappropriate in this tumor type. Copyright (C) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.