Observational studyThe oncologist2025
Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of HER2-low expression in advanced gastric cancer: a retrospective observational study.
Observational study in The oncologist, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- The Utility of HER2 Overexpression in Prognosis of Gastric Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Study.Cancer reports (Hoboken, N.J.) · 2026Pooled it
- Efficacy and safety of disitamab vedotin (RC48) combined with camrelizumab and S-1 for neoadjuvant therapy of locally advanced gastric cancer with HER2-overexpressing: Preliminary results of a prospective, single-arm, phase II study.Clinical and translational medicine · 2026Trial
- Clinicopathological features and prognoses of HER-2-positive gastric cancer.Molecular and clinical oncology · 2026Article
- Survival Outcomes in ERBB2-Low vs ERBB2-Null Advanced Gastric Cancer.JAMA network open · 2026Observational
- HER2-Low Gastric and Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma: From Assessment to Treatment Strategies.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Clinicopathological features and prognosis of HER2-low gastric cancer: a real-world retrospective cohort study.World journal of surgical oncology · 2026Article
- Prognostic Impact and Clinicopathological Correlates of HER2 Status in Gastric Cancer: A Multicenter Retrospective Turkish Oncology Group Study.Clinical Medicine Insights. Oncology · 2026Article
- Serum HER2 extracellular domain as a predictive biomarker for trastuzumab deruxtecan treatment response in HER2-positive gastric cancer: a real-world study.Therapeutic advances in gastroenterology · 2026Article
- HER2-Low Breast Cancer at the Interface of Pathology and Technology: Toward Precision Management.Biomedicines · 2025Review
- The Effect of HER2 Status on Gastric Cancer Survival and the Clinical Implications of the HER2-Low Definition: A Retrospective Study.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeHuman epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status is a critical biomarker in advanced gastric cancer (AGC). While the role of HER2-positive tumors in guiding targeted therapies is well-established, the clinical implications of HER2-low expression, defined as immunohistochemistry (IHC) 1+ or IHC 2+/in situ hybridization-negative (ISH-negative), remain undetermined. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance and clinicopathological features of HER2-low AGC. PATIENTS AND
methodsThis retrospective analysis involved patients with AGC treated with first-line fluoropyrimidine and platinum-based chemotherapy from 2011 to 2020. Patients were categorized into HER2-zero (HER2 IHC 0), HER2-low (IHC 1+ or 2+/ISH-negative), and HER2-positive (IHC 2+/ISH-positive or 3+) groups.
resultsAmong 548 patients analyzed, 33.0%, 45.1%, and 21.8% were classified as HER2-zero, HER2-low, and HER2-positive, respectively. The proportions of male patients, intestinal-type histology, esophagogastric junction/cardia involvement, metastatic disease status, ≥2 metastatic sites, liver metastasis, lymph node metastasis, and high serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels were gradually elevated in the HER2-zero, HER2-low, and HER2-positive groups. Overall survival (median) was 13.8, 13.6, and 23.0 months, respectively, with a non-significant trend favoring HER2-positive over HER2-low (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.80; P = .0672). A delayed separation of Kaplan-Meier curves for overall survival between the HER2-zero and HER2-low groups was observed, without reaching statistical significance (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.12; P = .2568).
conclusionPatients with HER2-low status exhibited intermediate and specific clinicopathological features within the HER2-negative category. In terms of prognosis, HER2-low patients showed a worsening trend compared with HER2-positive patients. This evidence implies that HER2-low status represents a distinct clinical subset, bridging the gap between the HER2-zero and HER2-positive profiles.
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