RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Study of HER2/neu status in Qatari women with breast carcinoma JF Saudi Medical Journal JO Saudi Med J FD Prince Sultan Military Medical City SP 832 OP 836 VO 24 IS 8 A1 Rasul, Kakil I. A1 Mohammaed, Kelta A1 Abdalla, Awidi S. A1 Chong-Lopez, Augustin A1 Ahmad, Mubarak A. A1 Al-Homsi, Mohammed U. A1 Al-Hassan, Asma M. A1 Al-Alosi, Ahmad S. A1 Bener, Bener A. YR 2003 UL http://smj.org.sa/content/24/8/832.abstract AB OBJECTIVE: The study is aimed at determining the prevalence of HER2/neu overexpression in Qatari women with breast cancer and to assess the survival in patients with HER2/neu positive tumors.METHODS: This is a retrospective study of clinical data of 70 Qatari female patients diagnosed with breast cancer during the period 1991 through to 2001, at Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. We also performed a retrospective review of breast tissue sample for those patients using paraffin sections and applying immunohistochemistry staining-[Hercep test (DAKO Inc)] to determine the HER2/neu status.RESULTS: Eighteen patients (26%) were HER2/neu positive (2+ and 3+) with a mean age at diagnosis of 49.3years, and 52 (74%) were negative (0 and 1+) with mean age at diagnosis of 46.6 years. Of the patients with positive HER2/neu, 5 (28%) had a relapse of the disease and 4 (22%) died of the disease during follow up. Of the patients with HER2/neu, negative test 9 (17%) had a relapse of the disease and 10 (19%) died of the disease. The median survival function at mean of covariates for HER2/neu positive patients was 26 months, and for HER2/NEU negative patients was 28 months.CONCLUSION: The prevalence of HER2/neu over expression in Qatari female with breast cancer in this study is 26%, but due to a small sample size it may not reflect really the prevalence. Patient with HER2/neu positive were older at diagnosis than patients with HER2/neu negative, also they had higher relapse rate and mortality. Median survival function was better for HER2/neu negative patients.