title: Relationship between epidermal growth factor receptor gene copy number and protein expression in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: This study was designed to explore the relationship between epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) copy number and EGFR protein expression in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCCs) in Taiwan. A total of 160 oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas were examined for EGFR protein overexpression using immunohistochemistry and for copy number using a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay. Overexpression and increased gene copy numbers of EGFR were found in 75 (46.88%) and 50 (31.25%) cases, respectively. The concordance rate for EGFR gene amplification and protein overexpression was 100%. EGFR overexpression was associated with a poor prognosis both in terms of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). On the other hand, the association between an increase in EGFR gene copies and DFS or OS was insignificant. This was despite the observed significant associations between gene copy number and tumor stage, depth of tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, bone invasion and perineural invasion. EGFR protein overexpression is closely related to EGFR copy number. Standard methodological and interpretation criteria need to be established that allows EGFR copy number combined with EGFR protein expression to be determined in a manner that allows individualized EGFR targeted therapy in OSCC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shiang-Fu
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Sou-De
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Huei-Tzu
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.forename: Chun-Ta
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: I-How
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hung-Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen-Yu
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Chun-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ling-Ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005784:Gene Amplification; D018628:Gene Dosage; D018773:Genes, erbB-1; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D066246:ErbB Receptors