title: [Immunohistochemical detection of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) in paraffin sections of breast carcinoma tissue: correlation and clinical significance].
abstract: Analyses of the level of expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) of breast cancer tumours may add independent information about the prognosis for individual patients. Furthermore, the use of monoclonal antibodies directed against EGF-R as therapeutic tools (e.g., Mab 425) requires a reliable evaluation of the individual EGF-R content. Various analytical methods have been published, including (1) biochemical detectonn of EGF-R by a radiolabelled physiological ligand, (125I)EGF, (2) enzymatic analyses of EGF-R content (IEMA), (3) immunological analyses of EGF-R content with a monoclonal antibody (ELISA), and (4) immunohistochemical EGF-R detection. Studies with immunohistochemical analyses of EGF-R overexpression in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumour samples are rare. In a retrospective study, we examined the clinical data from 142 patients and the EGF-R expression in their formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumour samples. The average follow-up was 69 months. EGF-R expression was compared to oestrogen (ER) and progesterone (PgR) receptor expression, histological grade, tumour size, lymph node metastases and menopause. 52 of 142 tumours were EGF-R positive. EGF-R overexpression correlated with high tumour grade, large tumours and elevated numbers of lymph node metastases. There was no significant correlation between ER or PgR and EGF-R expression. Determination of EGF-R overexpression revealed no significant difference in disease-free interval (DFI) or overall survival (OS). In this study, the determination of EGF-R in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumour samples proved feasible. Unfortunately, this did not add any additional information concerning DFI or OS.
authors.affiliation: Abt. Gynäkologie und Onkologie, Universitätsfrauenklinik, Frankfurt a. M.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Beckmann
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tutschek
authors.forename: U J
authors.initials: UJ
authors.lastname: Göhring
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Engels
authors.forename: F K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Picard
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scharl
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Niederacher
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Schnürch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D066246:ErbB Receptors