Expression of EGFR, HER-2/neu and KIT in germ cell tumours.
BACKGROUND
Germ cell tumours (GCTs) represent an extraordinarily chemosensitive malignancy. However, 20-30% of patients with advanced disease cannot be cured by currently available treatments. The role of tyrosine kinase receptors has been widely studied in other malignancies. Yet, limited information is available on GCTs.


METHODS
One hundred and nine paraffin-embedded GCTs in 84 patients were assessed by immunohistochemistry for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2)/neu and KIT (CD117) expression. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate their role as predictive and/or prognostic factors.


RESULTS
EGFR and HER-2/neu staining was detected in 28% and 13% of tumours, respectively, predominantly in nonseminomatous GCTs. KIT protein was almost universally expressed in seminomas (97%), being virtually absent in choriocarcinoma and teratocarcinoma subtypes. EGFR expression showed inverse association with tumour response of borderline significance. With a median follow-up of 10.6 years, no significant association was observed between the expression of any of these markers and relapse-free or overall survival.


CONCLUSIONS
EGFR, HER-2/neu and KIT have differential patterns of expression in GCTs according to histological subtypes. The expression of these markers in our series had no prognostic or predictive significance.
Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario Doce de Octubre, Madrid, Spain. duranign@gmail.com
Ignacio
I
Durán
Adelaida
A
García-Velasco
Claudio
C
Ballestín
Elena
E
García
Francisco
F
Martínez-Tello
Gregory R
GR
Pond
Rocío
R
García-Carbonero
Hernán
H
Cortés-Funés
Luis
L
Paz-Ares
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000378:metabolism*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012008:Recurrence; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D055815:Young Adult
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; C512478:EGFR protein, human