Negative prognostic impact of the coexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor and c-erbB-2 in locally advanced cervical cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to determine the impact of the coexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and tumor marker c-erbB-2 on disease-free survival (DFS) and pelvic relapse-free survival (PRFS) in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy.


METHODS
The expression of EGFR and c-erbB-2 was assessed by immunohistochemistry, which was centralized and blinded to outcome. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate the impact of EGFR and c-erbB-2 on DFS and PRFS.


RESULTS
170 patients with LACC were included and received concurrent chemoradiotherapy. 25 (15%) biopsies were considered EGFR and c-erbB-2 positive; 100 (59%) were either EGFR or c-erbB-2 positive, and 45 (26%) were EGFR and c-erbB-2 negative. The 3- and 5-year DFS was 39% each for EGFR- and c-erbB-2-positive patients, 54 and 49%, respectively, for EGFR- or c-erbB-2-positive patients, and 76 and 72%, respectively, for EGFR- and c-erbB-2-negative patients (p = 0.006). EGFR- and c-erbB-2-positive tumors were significantly associated with a decrease in PRFS (hazard ratio, HR, 3.99; 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.44-11.05, p = 0.007), and DFS (HR 2.9; 95% CI, 1.26-6.66, p = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with LACC coexpressing EGFR and c-erbB-2, and treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy, had a worse clinical prognosis with shorter DFS and PRFS.
Pérez-Regadera
José
J
Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital Universitario Doce de Octubre, Madrid, Spain. asmoncomed@yahoo.es
Sánchez-Muñoz
Alfonso
A
De-la-Cruz
Javier
J
Ballestín
Claudio
C
Lora
David
D
García-Martín
Rosa
R
Mendiola
Cesar
C
Alonso
Lorenzo
L
Alba
Emilio
E
Lanzós
Eduardo
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019281:Dimerization; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases