[C-erbB-2 protein in ovarian epithelial cancer: correlation between expression in tumor tissue and blood levels].
BACKGROUND
Among 20 to 30% of the patients with ovarian cancer present overexpression of the c-erbB protein in the tumor tissue although its clinical significance has not been clearly established. In patients with a disseminated neoplasm and overexpression of c-erbB an increase in the extracellular portion of this protein may be detected in serum. The aim of this study was to determine the c-erbB protein in serum and in tumoral tissue in patients diagnosed with ovarian epithelial carcinoma.


METHODS
The serum concentration of the c-erbB protein was quantified by ELISA techniques in 60 blood donor women (control group) and in 99 patients with ovarian cancer. Likewise, the expression of the c-erbB protein was determined in tumoral tissue by immunohistochemical techniques in the 99 patients with ovarian cancer. The correlation between overexpression and elevated serum values was analyzed.


RESULTS
The mean c-erbB values obtained in the serum of the control group was 10.9 U/ml (SD: 2.8) with a range of 1.5-17.0. Serum determination was carried out in absence of the tumor in 49 patients being positive in 2 cases. In 7 patients the determination was performed in the presence of peritoneal implants of a diameter of less than 2 cm with none being positive. Serum determination was carried out in 43 patients in the presence of implants greater than 2 cm and 14 (32.5%) were positive. A further 153 determinations were performed during follow up of the 99 patients, 62 in tumor absence (3.2% positive), 2 in the presence of a tumor of less than 2 cm (none positive) and 89 in the presence of a tumor greater than 2 cm (34.8% positive). A correlation was found between elevated c-erbB serum values in the presence of a disseminated tumors and overexpression of tumoral tissue (p: 0.0011).


CONCLUSIONS
A third of the patients with ovarian cancer and peritoneal implants of a diameter greater than 2 cm present elevated serum levels of the c-erbB.2 protein. A correlation was found between serum c-erbB positivity and overexpression of the protein in tumoral tissue.
Felip
E
E
Servicio de Oncología, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona.
Encabo
G
G
Vidal
M T
MT
Vera
R
R
del Campo
J M
JM
Rubio
D
D
D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases
Proteína c-erbB-2 en el cáncer epitelial de ovario: correlación entre la expresión en el tejido tumoral y los valores séricos.