title: Epidermal growth factor receptor expression is predictive of poor prognosis in feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (FC-SCC) and assess its prognostic role. Nineteen formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded excisional biopsies of FC-SCC were tested for EGFR expression using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Relationships between EGFR expression and histopathological parameters (differentiation, mitotic activity), disease-free interval (DFI) and overall survival (OS) at 24 months were further investigated. Fourteen of 19 tumours (73.7%) were positive for EGFR, with great variation in intensity and proportion of labelled cells. EGFR expression was not correlated with tumour differentiation or mitotic activity. Nine cats (47.4%) died of tumour-related causes. Patients with EGFR-positive tumours had a significantly worse outcome (P=0.0217), with decreased DFIs (P=0.0075) and survival times (P=0.0391). These data suggest that EGFR expression carries a negative prognostic significance in FC-SCC. EGFR inhibitors in association with conventional treatments may improve outcome for the subgroup of cats with EGFR-positive tumours.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health and Animal Pathology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabattini
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marconato
authors.forename: Aurora
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zoff
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morini
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scarpa
authors.forename: Ombretta
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Capitani
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bettini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D002415:Cats; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D066246:ErbB Receptors