Expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in gastric and colorectal carcinomas. An immunohistological study of 63 cases.
Immunohistochemical study for epidermal growth factor (EGF) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was performed on paraffin-embedded tissue specimens from 39 colorectal and 24 gastric carcinomas. The carcinomas were placed in one of the following 3 groups: group 1, neither EGF nor EGFR was stained (11 gastric and 21 colorectal carcinomas); group 2, either EGF or EGFR was stained (4 gastric and 4 colorectal carcinomas); and group 3, both EGF and EGFR were stained (9 gastric and 14 colorectal carcinomas). Compared with the carcinomas in groups 1 and 2, those in group 3 had significantly higher rates of lymph node spread and serosal invasion of the gastrointestinal wall. In contrast, no significant differences were found between the EGF and/or EGFR expression and histological differentiation of carcinomas. These results suggest that gastrointestinal carcinomas expressing both EGF and EGFR display pathological features of more aggressive disease. Furthermore, the synchronous expression of EGF and EGFR indicates that these carcinomas may regulate their growth by an autocrine and/or paracrine mechanism.
Karameris
A
A
Department of Histopathology, Army General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Kanavaros
P
P
Aninos
D
D
Gorgoulis
V
V
Mikou
G
G
Rokas
T
T
Niotis
M
M
Kalogeropoulos
N
N
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology
D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors