Prognostic significance of the overexpression of c-erbB-2 protein in adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix.
BACKGROUND
The overexpression of c-erbB-2 protein is a prognostic marker in patients with breast cancer. Alteration of the c-erbB-2 oncogene in development of adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix, an unfavorable gynecologic neoplasm, is unknown.


METHODS
To clarify the role of the c-erbB-2 oncogene in adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 44 cases of cervical adenocarcinoma were immunohistochemically examined for expression of c-erbB-2 protein and for c-erbB-2 gene amplification in DNA by slot blot-hybridization analysis.


RESULTS
The expression of c-erbB-2 protein was detected in 34 cases (77%). Strong expression on cell membranes was detected in 11 cases (25%). Most cases with strong membrane expression of c-erbB-2 protein also showed amplification of the c-erbB-2 gene by slot blot-hybridization. Expression of the protein on cell membranes was more often seen at clinical Stage II or III (9 of 23 [39%]) than at Stage 0 or 1 (2 of 21 [9%]) (P < 0.05, Fisher's exact test). Expression of the c-erbB-2 protein was also associated with poorer prognosis of patients with cervical adenocarcinoma by comparison of survival curves (P < 0.005) and by the Cox regression model analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Overexpression of c-erbB-2 protein is associated with amplification of c-erbB-2 gene and frequently occurred in cervical adenocarcinomas of the patients with poor prognoses.
Kihana
T
T
Pathology Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Tsuda
H
H
Teshima
S
S
Nomoto
K
K
Tsugane
S
S
Sonoda
T
T
Matsuura
S
S
Hirohashi
S
S
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005784:Gene Amplification; D015870:Gene Expression; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009857:Oncogenes / Q000235:genetics*; D011379:Prognosis; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D015996:Survival Rate; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases