Epidermal growth factor receptor (ErbB1) expression in prostate cancer progression: correlation with androgen independence.
BACKGROUND
The role of the epidermal growth factor receptor (ErbB1) in the progression of prostate cancer is incompletely understood.


METHODS
Tissue microarrays from hormone-naive and advanced androgen-independent tumors were used to investigate the role of ErbB1 in prostate cancer progression.


RESULTS
ErbB1 expression in tumor tissues was strongly associated with hormone-refractory status (odds ratio = 6.67, 95% CI = (2.6, 17.4), P = 0.0001). However, ErbB1 overexpression was not a statistically significant covariate in a multivariate proportional hazards model for biochemical failure of hormone-naïve prostate cancer. Moreover, ErbB1 overexpression was not associated with tumor differentiation (P = 0.44), positive margins (P = 0.53), seminal vesicle invasion (P = 0.69), extraprostatic extension (P = 0.10), or preoperative PSA (P = 0.18) in the hormone-naïve group.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings are consistent with a model in which ErbB1 expression increases during the development of the androgen-independent state, and suggest that drugs targeted toward ErbB signaling could be of therapeutic relevance in the management of advanced prostatic carcinoma.
Shah
Rajal B
RB
Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0932, USA.
Ghosh
Debashis
D
Elder
James T
JT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000728:Androgens / Q000502:physiology*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D000728:Androgens; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D066246:ErbB Receptors