Overexpression of the c-erbB-2 oncogene in sarcomas and small round-cell tumors of childhood. An immunohistochemical investigation.
Amplification and overexpression of the c-erbB-2 oncogene have been associated with a poor prognosis in breast cancer. The present study evaluates c-erbB-2 protein over-production in sarcomas and in small round-cell tumors of childhood by applying an immunohistochemical technique to formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues. This technique had previously demonstrated high sensitivity for the detection of c-erbB-2 activation. One peripheral neuroepithelioma demonstrated equivocal immunoreactivity for c-erbB-2 protein. There was no evidence of c-erbB-2 protein overproduction in 11 angiosarcomas, 21 chondrosarcomas, 10 epithelioid sarcomas, 14 Ewing's sarcomas, 20 hepatoblastomas, nine leiomyosarcomas, 12 liposarcomas, 13 malignant fibrous histiocytomas, nine malignant lymphomas, 15 neuroblastomas/ganglioneuroblastomas, 16 neurofibrosarcomas, 10 osteosarcomas, seven peripheral neuroepitheliomas, 10 rhabdomyosarcomas, six synovial sarcomas, and 20 Wilm's tumors. We conclude that overproduction of the c-erbB-2 protein is rare or absent in these neoplasms and that its detection is therefore not likely to be of practical utility in their pathologic evaluation and prognostication.
George
E
E
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis.
Niehans
G A
GA
Swanson
P E
PE
Strickler
J G
JG
Singleton
T P
TP
D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009857:Oncogenes; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases