title: Epidermal growth factor receptor expression in feline oral squamous cell carcinomas.
abstract: Feline oral squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) have a poor prognosis despite aggressive treatment with surgery, radiation and anticancer drugs. Overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a membrane-bound tyrosine kinase receptor, has been found in many human epithelial neoplasms, including oral SCC. EGFR overexpression has been associated with advanced disease and a poor prognosis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether feline oral SCC express EGFR. Thirteen formalin-fixed paraffin wax-embedded biopsy samples from feline oral SCC were analysed for EGFR expression using immunohistochemistry. Nine of 13 tumours (69%) were positive for EGFR expression, suggesting that altered EGFR expression plays a role in feline oral SCC and provides a rationale for a potential clinical benefit using EGFR inhibitors in combination with conventional treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA. jayme.looper@vcamail.com
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Looper
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Malarkey
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ruslander
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Proulx
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Thrall