title: Clinicopathological significance of erbB-2 expression in colorectal carcinoma.
abstract: The level of erbB-2 expression in both the tumour tissue and serum of individuals with colorectal carcinoma is unclear. This study aims to clarify expression levels and to relate these to a range of clinicopathological parameters. Overexpression of erbB-2 was detected in 25% of patient tumour tissue and an elevation in serum concentration of the extracellular domain (ECD) of erbB-2 was detected in 10% of patients. Surprisingly, an elevated serum ECD concentration did not correlate with erbB-2 overexpression within the primary tumour, and neither tumour or serum levels of the protein correlated with any clinicopathological parameters examined. These results indicate that erbB-2 overexpression in tissue and serum are not uncommon in colorectal carcinoma, but may not be useful as predictors of disease outcome.
authors: School of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors: N L
authors: NL
authors: Chamberlain
authors: R L
authors: RL
authors: Ward
authors: N J
authors: NJ
authors: Hawkins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008566:Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases