title: Amplification of the epidermal growth factor receptor gene in biopsy specimens from human intracranial tumours.
abstract: Amplification and overexpression of proto-oncogenes are associated with the malignant nature of some human tumours. In this study we have determined the prevalence of amplification of the proto-oncogenes c-erb B1 (= epidermal growth factor receptor gene), c-erb B2 and c-myc in 44 human intracranial tumours (27 gliomas, six metastases to the brain and 11 meningiomas). None of the tumours had an amplified c-erb B2 gene and only two tumours had an amplified c-myc gene. Nineteen per cent (five out of 27) of the gliomas, 50% (three out of six) of the brain metastases and 0% (0 out of 11) meningiomas had an amplified EGF-receptor gene. Amplification of the EGF-receptor gene appeared to give a growth advantage when single-cell suspensions of the tumours were grown in agarose.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Helseth
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Unsgaard
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dalen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fure
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Skandsen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Odegaard
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D005910:Glioma / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D011988:Receptors, Thyroid Hormone
chemical_list: D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D011988:Receptors, Thyroid Hormone; D066246:ErbB Receptors