title: Absence of epidermal growth factor receptor expression in squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix is an indicator of limited tumor disease.
abstract: The expression of growth factors is considered as an important diagnostic and prognostic feature in tumor pathology. We investigated the value of the immunohistochemical EGF-receptor expression (EGF-R) in 30 squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix, treated by radical hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy according to the Wertheim-Meigs-Okabayashi technique. Immunohistochemical reactions were performed on 4 microm sections from paraffin-embedded tissue, using an indirect peroxidase method. The staining results were evaluated semiquantitatively as negative (n=9; 30%) or as slightly, moderately or severely positive (n=21; 70%). The EGF-R-negative tumors were found in less advanced tumor stages. None had invaded into the parametrium (100%), eight were staged as T1 (89%), seven as N0 (78%), and seven showed no evidence for lymphangiosis carcinomatosa (78%). The respective values for the EGF-R-positive tumors ranged from 52% to 67%. However, only the difference in parametral invasion (EGF-R-negative: 0%, EGF-R-positive: 38%) was statistically significant (p=0.0306), probably due to the small number of cases. The EGF-R-expression was not correlated to histomorphological tumor grading. The results of this study indicate an inverse correlation between EGF-R expression and tumor spread. Assuming that this trend could be confirmed by a larger group of patients, immunostaining for EGF-R in a tumor biopsy could be useful to adapt surgical strategies and adjuvant therapy in the individual patient. Moreover, the EGF-R is an interesting target for immunotherapeutic approaches in squamous cell cervical carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University of Aachen, D-52057 Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Biesterfeld
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schuh
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Muys
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rath
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mittermayer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schröder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011247:Pregnancy; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D066246:ErbB Receptors