title: c-erbB2 gene amplification and protein expression in ovarian epithelial tumors: evaluation of their respective prognostic significance by multivariate analysis.
abstract: c-erbB2 gene amplification or over-expression has been reported in ovarian cancer, but their prognostic value remains conflicting. To investigate the respective prognostic significance of c-erbB2 gene amplification and protein over-expression, tumor samples were obtained from 65 patients with ovarian adenocarcinoma (9 FIGO stage I, 7 stage II, 38 stage III and II stage IV) followed up for a median period of 71 months. c-erbB2 gene amplification (> or = 2.5 a.u.) was detected in 9/65 (14%) adenocarcinomas and in none of 5 benign and 8 borderline ovarian epithelial tumors also analyzed. Specimens from 52 of the 65 adenocarcinomas were available for immunohistochemical analysis. c-erbB2 protein expression was observed in 23/52 (44%) adenocarcinomas. No correlation was found between c-erbB2 gene copy number and protein expression. There was no correlation of c-erbB2 gene copy number or protein expression with any of the clinico-pathological factors analyzed (i.e., FIGO stage, histological type, histological grade and residual tumor). On univariate analysis, c-erbB2 gene amplification was associated with poorer survival (p = 0.04). However, in the multivariate analysis of clinico-pathological factors and c-erbB2 gene copy number, c-erbB2 gene amplification did not retain any independent prognostic significance (p = 0.19). No significant survival difference was found between patients with and without c-erbB2 protein over-expression in univariate or multivariate analyses. Therefore, neither c-erbB2 gene amplification nor c-erbB2 protein over-expression appears to be a significant prognostic marker in patients with ovarian carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fajac
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benard
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lhomme
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rey
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Duvillard
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rochard
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Bernaudin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riou
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D018734:Genes, erbB-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases