Epidermal growth factor receptor and c-erbB-2 contents in unresectable (UICC R1 or R2) gastric cancer.
BACKGROUND
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and c-erbB-2 are membrane receptors expressed in a variety of solid human cancers and directly correlated with poor prognosis. The objective of this work was to evaluate the EGFR and c-erbB-2 levels in non-resectable gastric carcinomas, their possible relationship with a variety of clinicopathological tumor parameters, and their prognostic significance.


METHODS
This was a prospective analysis of 65 patients with unresectable gastric carcinomas (UICC R1 or R2), who underwent palliative surgery and were followed up for a median period of 13 months. Membranous EGFR levels were examined by radioligand binding assays and cytosolic c-erbB-2 levels by means of an immunoenzymatic assay.


RESULTS
There was a wide variability in EGFR (80.3-2910 fmol/mg of protein) and c-erbB-2 (0.4-10071 NHU/mg of protein) levels in neoplastic tissues from patients with unresectable gastric carcinomas. Median c-erbB2 was significantly higher in tumors of the intestinal type than in tumors of the diffuse type (p = 0.035) and in R2 than in R1 tumors (p = 0.016). Statistical analysis showed that there was no relationship between tumor c-erbB-2 or EGFR content and any other patient or tumor characteristics. However, high levels of EGFR were significantly associated with a shorter overall survival (p = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest a role of both transmembrane proteins in the progression of gastric cancer. EGFR and c-erbB-2 contents in unresectable gastric cancer could be utilized as appropriate biological markers for selecting candidates for treatment based on EGFR and/or c-erbB-2 inhibition.
García
I
I
Servicio de Cirugía General, Hospital Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain.
del Casar
J M
JM
Corte
M D
MD
Allende
M T
MT
García-Muñiz
J L
JL
Vizoso
F
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D013997:Time Factors
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases