Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr) expression in non-small cell lung carcinomas correlates with metastatic involvement of hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes in the squamous subtype.
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr) levels were evaluated in paraffin-embedded tumour specimens of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from 176 patients who underwent surgical resection. The EGFr expression was evaluated by immunocytochemical assay using a monoclonal antibody which recognises the external domain of the receptor. EGFr immunoreactivity was significantly higher in squamous than in non-squamous cell carcinomas (P = 0.0009). Hilar and/or mediastinal nodal involvement was found in 29 of 105 (27.4%) squamous cancers, and in this group of patients, the mean of EGFr positive cells was significantly higher than that of patients without nodal involvement (P = 0.01). No significant correlations were found between the expression of EGFr and other clinicopathological or biological parameters such as T-status, grading, proliferative activity. EGFR is suggested to represent a useful indicator of nodal metastasis in NSCLC.
Fontanini
G
G
Institute of Pathology, Pisa, Italy.
Vignati
S
S
Bigini
D
D
Mussi
A
A
Lucchi
H
H
Angeletti
C A
CA
Pingitore
R
R
Pepe
S
S
Basolo
F
F
Bevilacqua
G
G
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism; D018287:Carcinoma, Large Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism
D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D066246:ErbB Receptors