title: c-erbB-2 oncoprotein expression and amplification in pleomorphic adenoma and carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma: relationship to prognosis.
abstract: The c-erbB-2 protooncogene has been shown to be overexpressed and/or amplified in carcinomas of the breast, ovary, pancreas, and other organs. Several studies of human breast carcinoma noted an association of c-erbB-2 overexpression and amplification with poor prognosis. Recent studies have demonstrated c-erbB-2 protein expression in a variety of salivary gland neoplasms, most notably pleomorphic adenoma (PA), carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma (CAexPA), and adenocarcinoma. In this study, we analyzed c-erbB-2 expression in 15 PAs and 13 CAexPAs, using immunohistochemistry. In addition, differential polymerase chain reaction was used to evaluate c-erbB-2 gene amplification in these tumors. Low-level c-erbB-2 immunoreactivity was detected in three of 15 PAs. Among the CAexPAs, low-, intermediate-, and high-level immunoreactivity was seen in two, three, and two cases, respectively. The only cases showing c-erbB-2 amplification were the two CAexPA cases with high-level immunoreactivity. Based on statistical analysis of the 10 CAexPA patients with known outcome, no significant association of prognosis with c-erbB-2 expression or amplification was apparent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vigneswaran
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gansler
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gramlich
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: DeRose
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D008949:Adenoma, Pleomorphic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D018734:Genes, erbB-2; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases