Nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of ErbB-4 in prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate cytoplasmic and nuclear ErbB-4 expression in prostate cancer specimens and its association with outcome.


METHODS
Specimens of 50 prostate cancer patients were investigated for ErbB-4 overexpression using Immunohistochemistry staining. Cytoplasmic and nuclear staining was graded as 0-3 according to its intensity. The prognostic parameters were tumor stage, PSA level, Gleason score, probability of positive lymph nodes (Partin's tables and Roach equation), and 5-year disease free survival (Kattan nomogram).


RESULTS
Overexpression of ErbB-4 (> or = 1) was detected in 30 (60%) patients and overexpression using cytoplasmic and nuclear staining was > or = 2 in 19 (38%) and 17 (34%) patients, respectively. In only one third of the specimens was there any similarity between the 2 types of staining. Advanced tumor stage, high pretreatment PSA levels and high Gleason scores were evenly distributed among the patients with low (< or = 1) and intermediate/high (> or = 2) ErbB-4 expression. The probability of lymph node involvement and 5-year disease free survival were similar in both types of staining.


CONCLUSIONS
ErbB-4 was overexpressed (cytoplasmic and nuclear staining) in approximately one third of prostate cancer patients. The rate of similarity between the 2 staining types was only 33%: overexpression was evenly distributed among intermediate/high and low risk prostate cancer patients with both staining methods.
Ben-Yosef
R
R
Division of Oncology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, 6 Weizman Street, Tel-Aviv 64239, Israel. rby@tasmc.health.gov.il
Sarid
D
D
Vexler
A
A
Lidawi
G
G
Inbar
M
M
Marmor
S
S
Starr
A
A
Yaal Hahoshen
N
N
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000201:enzymology*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000201:enzymology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4; D015398:Signal Transduction
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C587689:ERBB4 protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen