EGF-R and overexpression of the oncogene c-erbB-2 in ovarian cancer: immunohistochemical findings and prognostic value.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of EGF-R (c-erbB-1) compared to the overexpression of the c-erbB-2 oncogene product p185 in ovarian cancer.


METHODS
The study was conducted on 266 previously untreated ovarian cancer patients with FIGO stage I-IV disease. EGF-R and c-erbB-2 oncogene product p185 have been evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Survival times were analyzed according to the method described by Kaplan and Meier. For the simultaneous evaluation of the prognostic relevance of the analyzed factors, a Cox proportional hazards regression was performed.


RESULTS
EGF-R was detected in 13%, and c-erbB-2 oncogene product p185 in 18% of primary tumors. EGF-R showed no significant impact on the survival time, whereas c-erbB-2 oncogene product p185 positive patients had a significantly worse prognosis compared to p185 negative cases (p = 0.002). In the multivariate analysis, c-erbB-2 oncogene product p185, like tumor stage, histological grade and age, was found to be a significant prognostic factor.


CONCLUSIONS
These data confirm the prognostic importance of the c-erbB-2; oncogene product p185 in ovarian cancer at the time of primary surgery, while EGF-R does not seem to have prognostic relevance.
Meden
H
H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Göttingen, Germany.
Marx
D
D
Raab
T
T
Kron
M
M
Schauer
A
A
Kuhn
W
W
D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D018815:Genes, erbB; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*
D066246:ErbB Receptors; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases