title: [Expressions of epidermal growth factor receptor in primary nasopharygeal carcinoma and lymph node metastases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expressions of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in primary nasopharygeal carcinoma (NPC) and lymph node metastases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Archived samples of primary NPC and paired lymph node metastases from 86 patients were examined immunohistochemically for the protein expression of EGFR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EGFR expression positivity was detected in the primary NPC and lymph node metastases at the rate of 73.3% and 60.5%, respectively, and primary and metastatic foci showed significant difference in the expression levels (P=0.001). A discrepancy of EGFR expression between the primary and metastatic foci was found in 25 patients, with a discrepancy rate of 29.1% (25/86).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The difference in EGFR expression between the primary and lymph node metastastic foci of NPC needs to be evaluated when performing EGFR-targeted therapies especially in advanced NPC cases.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Department of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China. chenwei1001@126.com
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Tai-xiang
authors.initials: TX
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Jie-hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Rong-zhen
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Tong-yu
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors