title: Increased serum level of epidermal growth factor receptor in liver cancer patients and its association with exposure to arsenic.
abstract: Arsenic is a human carcinogen and can activate epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in human cell lines. As EGFR is associated with the occurrence of cancers, we conducted a study to evaluate whether serum EGFR may increase in liver cancer patients, particularly in those with exposure to arsenic. We recruited 100 patients of liver cancer and 100 age- and sex-matched controls in Taiwan and determined EGFR levels in sera by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The patients had higher EGFR levels (668.1 vs. 243.1 fmol/mL, p<0.01), and after adjusting for hepatitis B and C, they still had an average EGFR level 406.1 fmol/mL higher than that of the controls (p<0.01). When we compared 22 patients residing in an endemic area of arsenic intoxication to 22 age- and sex-matched patients residing outside the area, we found that patients from the endemic area had higher EGFR levels (882.8 vs. 511.6 fmol/mL, p = 0.04). We concluded that EGFR is over-expressed in patients of liver cancer, particularly in those with exposure to arsenic, and therefore, serum EGFR level is not only a potential biomarker of liver cancer, but also a potential biomarker of cancers associated with arsenic exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 138 Sheng-Li Road, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tzu-I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Ying-Jan
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chi-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tsui-Lien
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: How-Ran
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001151:Arsenic / Q000633:toxicity*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002273:Carcinogens; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D001151:Arsenic