Immunohistochemical analysis of epidermal growth factor receptor family members in stage I non-small cell lung cancer.
BACKGROUND
To elucidate the relationship between the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor family members (ErbB-1, neu/ErbB-2, ErbB-3, and ErbB-4) and tumor recurrence.


METHODS
We used immunohistochemistry to examine the expression of four epidermal growth factor receptor family members in 73 patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer.


RESULTS
Using Cox univariate analysis, we determined that angiolymphatic tumor emboli and non-well-differentiated tumor cells were two significant conventional pathologic predictors of tumor recurrence, and that ErbB-1 and ErbB-3 were also significant predictors. Co-expression of ErbB-1+, -3+, or expression of three or more epidermal growth factor receptor family members had a significant effect on lung cancer recurrence. A stepwise multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis provided a predictive model for tumor recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study shows that in patients with a non-well-differentiated tumor, overexpression of ErbB-3 is a useful marker for predicting tumor recurrence. The present study also confirmed that ErbB-1 expression increased in proportion to the loss of tumor differentiation. The correlation between ErbB-3 and distant metastasis was good.
Lai
W W
WW
Department of Surgery, College of Management Science, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Chen
F F
FF
Wu
M H
MH
Chow
N H
NH
Su
W C
WC
Ma
M C
MC
Su
P F
PF
Chen
H
H
Lin
M Y
MY
Tseng
Y L
YL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis; D020893:Receptor, ErbB-3 / Q000032:analysis; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D020893:Receptor, ErbB-3; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4; C587689:ERBB4 protein, human