title: Epidermal growth factor receptor expression in primary laryngeal cancer: an independent prognostic factor of neck node relapse.
abstract: Specimens of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) were examined for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) content using a radioreceptor method; 140 untreated consecutive patients with primary LSCC undergoing initial surgical resection were followed up for a median of 49 months (range 2-84 months) after surgery. Cox univariate regression analysis using EGFR as a continuous variable showed that EGFR levels were directly associated with the risk of lymph node metastasis. A significant relationship between EGFR status and cervical node metastasis was observed. The cutoff value of 20 fmol/mg protein was the best prognostic discriminator. The 5-year metastasis-free survival (MFS) was 66% for patients with EGFR- tumors compared with 15% for patients with EGFR+ tumors. By multivariate analysis, the EGFR status appeared to be a significant independent prognostic factor for MFS. Our results suggest that the assessment of EGFR status at the time of diagnosis may identify a subset of LSCC patients highly susceptible to neck node metastases thus defining therapy accordingly.
authors: Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. iclot@rm.unicat.it
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Almadori
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Cadoni
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Galli
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Ferrandina
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Scambia
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Exarchakos
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Paludetti
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Ottaviani
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis
chemical_list: D066246:ErbB Receptors