Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40234892›Full record

ArticleDiagnostic pathology2025

Redefining therapeutic landscapes: clinicopathological insights into low and ultra-low HER2 expression in male breast cancer.

Jiuyan Shang, Jiaxian Miao, Shuyao Niu, Xuemei Sun, Yueping Liu

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Article in Diagnostic pathology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Investigation of the prevalence of HER2-ultralow and the effects of HER2 status (HER2-null vs. HER2-ultralow) on survival in HER2-negative early-stage breast cancer.Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · 2026
    Article
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  6. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Jiuyan ShangDepartment of Pathology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No. 12 Jiankang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050011, Hebei, China.
Jiaxian MiaoDepartment of Pathology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No. 12 Jiankang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050011, Hebei, China.
Shuyao NiuDepartment of Pathology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No. 12 Jiankang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050011, Hebei, China.
Xuemei SunDepartment of Pathology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No. 12 Jiankang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050011, Hebei, China.
Yueping LiuDepartment of Pathology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No. 12 Jiankang Road, Shijiazhuang, 050011, Hebei, China. annama@163.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveWith the emergence of new antibody coupled drugs, the treatment decisions of patients with low and ultra-low HER2 expression have been reshaped. However, the epidemiological characteristics of relatively rare male breast cancer are still unclear. This study discusses the clinicopathological and immunophenotypic characteristics of male invasive breast cancer with low and ultra-low HER2 expression.

methodsThe clinicopathological and immunophenotypic features of 106 cases of male invasive breast cancer were retrospectively analyzed. HER2 was evaluated according to ASCO/CAP guidelines. The cutoff value of HER2 positive cell staining was > 10%. HER2 negative cases were divided into HER2 low expression (IHC = 1+/2 + and ISH without amplification) and HER2-0 (IHC-0, HER2 null and < 10% weak staining of cell membrane). The clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of the cases were collected.

results106 male patients with invasive breast cancer from 2015 to 2024 were included in this study, and more than 85% of male breast cancer histological types were invasive ductal carcinoma. Immunophenotype: There were 23 cases of HER2-zero (including 13 cases of HER2 ultra-low), 72 cases of HER2 low, 11 cases of HER2 positive, and the HER2 positive rate was 10.38%, and the incidence of low expression was 67.93%; The incidence of HER2 low in male breast cancer was significantly higher than that in female breast cancer, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). In terms of prognosis, there was no statistical difference between HER2 low male breast cancer and female breast cancer (P > 0.05). There was no statistical difference in survival prognosis between different HER2 status in the male breast cancer cohort.

conclusionMale invasive breast cancer is rare, and it is more common in the elderly over 60 years old. The positive rate of ER and PR is high, and the incidence of HER2 low is high. The high HER2 low expression rate of male breast cancer can provide a new anti-HER2 treatment decision.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorBreast Neoplasms, MaleCarcinoma, Ductal, BreastErb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine KinasesAdultAgedAged, 80 and overHumansImmunohistochemistryImmunophenotypingMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisRetrospective StudiesBiomarkers, TumorERBB2 protein, humanErb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine KinasesClinicopathological featuresHormone receptorHuman epidermal growth factor receptor 2Male breast cancerSurvival

Identifiers

PMID40234892
PMCPMC12001505

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