title: c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in relation to DNA ploidy and prognosis in colorectal adenocarcinoma.
abstract: Overexpression of the c-erbB-2 oncogene has been demonstrated in a variety of tumours, including colorectal tumours. In breast carcinoma, c-erbB-2 overexpression is associated with DNA ploidy, some other prognostic indicators, and unfavourable survival prospects. However, there is little such information available regarding colorectal tumours. In this study, c-erbB-2 was analysed retrospectively by immunohistochemistry in 293 primary colorectal adenocarcinomas to assess its relation to DNA ploidy, S-phase fraction, other prognostic factors, and patient survival. Using the monoclonal antibody NCL-CB11, we found that 23% of the tumours were strongly c-erbB-2 positive, while 36% showed weak expression. The highest frequency of c-erbB-2 expression was 81% in DNA tetraploid tumours, compared to 63% in aneuploid and, 53% in diploid tumours (test for heterogeneity, p = 0.031). Overexpression of c-erbB-2 indicated a favourable prognosis in patients with DNA aneuploid tumours (p = 0.0088), but not in those with diploid or tetraploid tumours. The prognostic value of c-erbB-2 in DNA aneuploid tumours remained even after adjustment for Dukes' stage (p = 0.027). The results suggest that a combination of c-erbB-2 expression and DNA ploidy may improve the identification of patients' risk of cancer death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: X F
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Carstensen
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Stål
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nordenskjöld
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D018734:Genes, erbB-2; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011003:Ploidies; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases