title: pEGFR-Tyr 845 expression as prognostic factors in oral squamous cell carcinoma: a tissue-microarray study with clinic-pathological correlations.
abstract: The EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) a member of the family of transmembrane protein kinase receptors known as the erbB family shows a significant correlation with the presence of metastases and poorly differentiated oral cancer. Aim of the present work is to define the key-role of EGFR in oral cancer prognosis. We have analyzed the EGFR expression on 149 cases of oral squamous cell cancers (OSCC) and we have found that it was poorly expressed in normal oral epithelium, but its expression was significantly increased in OSCCs. Moreover, we have recorded that both pEGFR-Tyr 845 and pEGFR-Tyr 1068 were mainly distributed in high histological grading and in advanced stages. Western blotting has confirmed the total absence of EGFR phosphorylation in normal oral epithelium and the higher level of protein phosphorylation in representative cases of OSCCs. The EGF-R amplification was found by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in 14% of OSCC; interestingly, EGF-R amplification was mainly observed in OSCC with higher histological grading (G2 and G3) and advanced stage (pT4) sub-groups. Kaplan-Meyer survival analysis suggested that patients with positive pEGFR-Tyr 845 tumors had a worse prognosis and were bad responders to chemotherapy. These results confirm the central role of EGF-R activation status as a prognostic biomarker in OSCC.
authors: Section of Pathological Anatomy, Fourth Section of Maxillofacial Surgery, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Fondazione G.Pascale, Naples, Italy.
authors: Gabriella
authors: G
authors: Aquino
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Pannone
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Santoro
authors: Giuseppina
authors: G
authors: Liguori
authors: Renato
authors: R
authors: Franco
authors: Rosario
authors: R
authors: Serpico
authors: Gianluca
authors: G
authors: Florio
authors: Alfredo
authors: A
authors: De Rosa
authors: Marilena
authors: M
authors: Mattoni
authors: Valentina
authors: V
authors: Cozza
authors: Gerardo
authors: G
authors: Botti
authors: Simona
authors: S
authors: Losito
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Longo
authors: Stefania
authors: S
authors: Staibano
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Cuda
authors: Lorenzo
authors: L
authors: Lo Muzio
authors: Carolina
authors: C
authors: Sbordone
authors: Pantaleo
authors: P
authors: Bufo
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Grimaldi
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Caraglia
authors: Marina
authors: M
authors: Di Domenico
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014443:Tyrosine; D066246:ErbB Receptors