title: The growth factor receptors HER-2/neu and EGFR, their relationship, and their effects on the prognosis in early stage (FIGO I-II) epithelial ovarian carcinoma.
abstract: Epithelial ovarian cancer is a heterogeneous disease and many biologic and molecular factors are important for its development and progression, including growth rate, metastatic potential, chemo- and radiosensitivity, and prognosis. Even in the early stages (FIGO I-II), many questions persist about the biologic behavior, optimal treatment, and prognosis. In a series of 106 patients with epithelial ovarian cancers in FIGO stages IA-IIC, a number of known prognostic factors (age, FIGO stage, histopathologic type, and tumor grade) were studied in relation to two important growth factor receptors for oncogenesis (HER-2/neu and EGFR). Immunohistochemical techniques were used. All patients received adjuvant radiotherapy 4-6 weeks after the primary surgery. In a univariate analysis, the expression of the HER-2/neu receptor was not associated with any of the clinicopathologic factors studied or survival status. Positive EGFR staining was associated with poor survival in a univariate analysis. Co-expression of HER-2/neu and EGFR was most frequently seen in serous tumors and positive staining for HER-2/neu alone was associated with mucinous tumors. Both endometrioid and clear cell tumors belonged to the largest subgroup with concomitant negativity for both HER-2/neu and EGFR. In a multivariate Cox analysis, the tumor grade and EGFR status of the tumors were independent and significant prognostic factors. A therapeutic strategy for epithelial ovarian cancer might be to decrease EGFR expression by gene therapy in combination with adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Skirnisdóttir
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sorbe
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seidal
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases