[The expression of erbB/HER family in lung cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To study the expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) family in lung cancer.


METHODS
Paraffin-embedded tissues from 70 cases of lung cancer (43 cases of squamous cell cancer and 27 cases of adenocarcinoma) and 20 cases of non-cancerous lung diseases were stained for the expression of HERs by means of immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
All HERs were weakly expressed in non-cancerous lung tissues; over-expression of HER(1), HER(2), HER(4), HER(1 + 2), HER(1 + 4) and HER(2 + 4) and HER(1 + 2 + 4) was found in lung cancer and correlated with lymph node metastasis, TNM staging and post-operation survival.


CONCLUSIONS
erbB(1), erbB(2) and erbB(4) are the genes regulating the growth of lung cancer at advanced stages. Targeting the HER(1), HER(2) and HER(4) over-expression might be a new approach to the treatment of lung cancer at advanced stages.
Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Zaichun
Z
Deng
Di
D
Ge
Dunhua
D
Zhang
Yunshan
Y
Tan
Chunxue
C
Bai
Yonghua
Y
Xu
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D015996:Survival Rate
D066246:ErbB Receptors