Changes in HER2 expression and amplification status following preoperative chemotherapy for gastric cancer

Background: It is essential to establish a strategy for second-line treatment for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive gastric cancer; however, HER2 expression status after chemotherapy treatment is not routinely determined. Materials and Methods: We analyzed 25 cases of gastric cancer that received preoperative chemotherapy and selected the six pre-treatment samples that were HER2- positive. Pre- and post-treatment tumor samples were examined for HER2 expression, and for HER2, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and hepatocyte growth factor receptor (MET) gene amplification. Results: Three patients had been treated with trastuzumab plus chemotherapy, and three patients with cytotoxic chemotherapy alone. Only one case that had an initial HER2 score of 3+ and had received trastuzumab plus chemotherapy remained HER2-positive after treatment. Decrease or loss of HER2 expression and amplification was observed in the other five patients. Amplification of EGFR or MET was not observed in any preor post-treatment specimens. Conclusion: Our data suggest that trastuzumab plus chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone may induce loss of HER2 positivity.