Expression of steroid hormone receptors, HER-2/neu and COX-2 in Paget`s disease of the vulva and breast

Purpose: Paget disease (PD) of the vulva and breast is rare lesion and occurs for about 1% of patients with malignant disease at these localisations. Some lesions are multifocal and recur for about 30% at the vulva and might cause recurrency after breast conserving therapy in breast cancer. Evaluating therapeutic relevant molecules PDs were investigated immunohistochemically.

Methods: Eight vulvar and 11 breast PDs were stained with antibodies against estrogen and progesterone receptors, HER-2/neu (Hercept-Test) and COX-2 with semiquantitative evaluation of the staining results.

Results: All tested mammary and 2/3 of vulvar PD were negative for estrogen and progesterone receptor analysis. 6/8 vulvar and 10/11 PDs represented COX-2 overexpression. All vulvar as well as mammary PD showed strong immunoreaction for HER-2/neu (Score 3).

Conclusions: Mammary and extra-mammary PD is probably not under hormonal control of estrogens or progestogens. The strong overexpression of COX-2 and HER-2/neu suggest that these both molecules represent possible therapeutic targets.