Prognostic significance of immunohistochemical expression of EGFR and C-erbB-2 oncoprotein in curatively resected gastric cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of the expression of EGFR and C-erbB-2 gene products by immunohistochemical analysis for curatively resected gastric adenocarcinoma.


METHODS
Between January 1996 and December 2001, 739 patients with curatively resected gastric cancer patients underwent immunohistochemical staining for EGFR and C-erbB-2 proteins, and we retrospectively analyzed their correlation with the clinical outcome.


RESULTS
The over expressions of EGFR and C-erbB-2 were 25.4% and 26.2%, respectively. The over expressions of EGFR was associated with the more poorly differentiated tumor (p=0.000) and with neuronal invasion (p=0.03). Over expression of C-erbB-2 was associated with less vascular invasion (p=0.001). Tumor depth or node metastasis was not related to the over expression of EGFR or C-erbB-2. The seven-year overall survival and relapse-free survival rates were 87.2% and 75.8%, respectively. Upon multivariate Cox regression analysis, the tumor stage, tumor size and patient age were important prognostic factors for overall survival, and tumor stage was the important factor for relapse-free survival. Over expressions of EGFR or c-erbB-2 were not significant prognostic factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Immunohistochemical staining of EGFR and C-erbB-2 gene products were not independent prognostic factors for predicting the overall survival and the relapse-free survival in curatively resected gastric cancer.
Song
Hong Suk
HS
Department of Internal Medicine, Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea. shs7436@dsmc.or.kr
Do
Young Rok
YR
Kim
In Ho
IH
Sohn
Soo Sang
SS
Kwon
Kun Young
KY