title: Cytoplasmic c-erbB-2 protein expression correlates with survival in Dukes' B colorectal carcinoma.
abstract: The prognostic significance of c-erbB-2 expression was studied in paraffin wax embedded colorectal cancer tissue using a monoclonal antibody. One hundred and sixty-four patients with Dukes' B disease were studied. Membranous staining was not detected in any case. Cytoplasmic c-erbB-2 staining was seen in 55 cancers (33.5%). Cytoplasmic staining was unrelated to patient age (P = 0.31), sex (P = 0.69), tumour site (P = 0.69), size (P = 0.57), histological grade (P = 0.42) or ploidy status (P = 0.21) but was found more frequently in obstructing cancers (P = 0.03). Mean follow up of the patient population was 6.3 years. Five-year-survival estimated by the Kaplan-Meier life-table method was 47% for those with cytoplasmic c-erbB-2 staining and 77% for those without (log rank analysis; P < or = 0.0001). Stepwise regression analysis identified c-erbB-2 staining (relative risk, 2.51; P = 0.0005) and bowel obstruction (relative risk, 1.99; P = 0.015) as independent predictors of survival. It is suggested that cytoplasmic c-erbB-2 expression may provide a useful marker of tumour behaviour in Dukes' B colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin.
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Kay
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mulcahy
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leader
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Donoghue
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases