title: c-erbB3 protein expression in ovarian cancer.
abstract: Aims-To study the prevalence of overexpression of c-erbB3 growth factor receptor in ovarian carcinomas and to analyse its relation to histological subtype, stage and grade of the tumours.Methods-Ninety eight ovarian carcinomas were evaluated immunohistochemically using the RTJ1 monoclonal antibody raised against a synthetic peptide, the sequence of which was derived from the cytoplasmic domain of the c-erbB3 protein.Results-Of the tumours, 16% (16/98) overexpressed c-erbB3 protein relative to normal ovarian epithelium, whereas 22% (22/98) were completely negative. There was a statistically significant association between overexpression and well differentiated grade.Conclusions-These findings suggest that c-erbB3 protein overexpression occurs in a significant proportion of ovarian cancers and is correlated with differentiation. Overexpression may merit further investigation as a potential prognostic indicator and as a target for new treatment.
authors.affiliation: ICRF Oncology Unit, Hammersmith Hospital, London W12 ONN.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rajkumar
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Stamp
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Gullick