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.
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis.
E
E
George
G A
GA
Niehans
P E
PE
Swanson
J G
JG
Strickler
T P
TP
Singleton
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