Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39496910›Full record

ArticleBreast cancer research and treatment2025

Current status and challenges in HER2 IHC assessment: scoring survey results in Japan.

Takashi Sakatani, Hitoshi Tsuda, Masayuki Yoshida, Naoko Honma, Shinobu Masuda, Tomo Osako, Amiko Hayashi, Ana Richelia Jara-Lazaro, Rie Horii

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Article in Breast cancer research and treatment, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

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0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Takashi SakataniDepartment of Diagnostic Pathology, Nippon Medical School Hospital, 1-1-5, Sendagi, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8603, Japan. takashi-sakatani@nms.ac.jp.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5959-3451
Hitoshi TsudaDepartment of Basic Pathology, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan.
Masayuki YoshidaDepartment of Diagnostic Pathology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Naoko HonmaDepartment of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Toho University, Tokyo, Japan.
Shinobu MasudaDepartment of Pathology and Microbiology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Tomo OsakoDivision of Pathology, Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan.
Amiko HayashiMedical Scientific Affairs, Healthcare Excellence, Roche Diagnostics K.K, Tokyo, Japan.
Ana Richelia Jara-LazaroRoche Diagnostics Asia Pacific, Singapore, Singapore.
Rie HoriiDepartment of Pathology, Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis study aimed to assess the concordance of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression scoring by immunohistochemistry (IHC) among practicing pathologists in Japan, given the challenging nature of scoring and the critical role of HER2 status in breast cancer management.

methodsWhole slide images (WSI) from 20 invasive breast cancer cases (1 representative WSI per case) selected to represent a diverse IHC scores and staining patterns were used in an online survey involving seven reference pathologists who established consensus HER2 IHC scores (0 to 3 +) decided by majority interpretation. Participating pathologists nationwide scored the same 20 WSI cases online using the American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP) 2018 guidelines. Deidentified case metadata were registered in the uPath system.

resultsA total of 144 participating pathologists responded. The scoring results of the participating pathologists most commonly agreed with the consensus IHC score, followed by a ± 1 point deviation and no survey responses with > 1 point deviation. The mean percentage of agreement with the consensus score for all 20 cases was 63.4%. In cases where the reference pathologists' scores were discordant, the participating pathologists also showed a lower concordance rate.

conclusionThis study highlighted the current status of HER2 expression scoring by IHC for breast cancer among pathologists in Japan. These findings underscore the challenges in HER2 IHC scoring cases and emphasize the need for improved standardization and training, especially in the evolving landscape of HER2-targeted therapies.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorBreast NeoplasmsErb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine KinasesImmunohistochemistryFemaleHumansJapanPathologistsSurveys and QuestionnairesBiomarkers, TumorERBB2 protein, humanErb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine KinasesHER2 immunohistochemistryHER2-low expressionHER2 scoring variabilityInvasive breast cancerWhole slide imaging

Identifiers

PMID39496910
PMCPMC11787237

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.