title: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene copy number in colorectal adenoma-carcinoma progression.
abstract: Adenomas are the easily identifiable precursors of the vast majority of colorectal cancers. Some of their morphological features, such as dysplasia, are predictive of their biological evolution toward adenocarcinomas. A large body of evidence has demonstrated that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway is commonly activated in colorectal cancer and EGFR-target therapies have improved the outcome for colorectal cancer patients. Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying the role of EGFR in the adenoma-carcinoma sequence are not entirely clear. We retrospectively analyzed EGFR gene copy number by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in paraffin-embedded tissue from 215 patients recruited through a prospective colorectal cancer screening procedure and undergoing surgical colectomy. We observed that in human colorectal carcinogenesis, EGFR copy number increases progressively, from adenomas with high-grade dysplasia to locally advanced adenocarcinomas, through early invasive adenocarcinomas, suggesting that deregulation of EGFR may correlate with the malignant progression.
authors.affiliation: Pathology Unit, Istituto di Ricerca e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS)-Arcispedale S. Maria Nuova, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Flora
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piana
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bassano
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bisagni
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Marco
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciarrocchi
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tagliavini
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gardini
authors.forename: Ione
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tamagnini
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Banzi
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bisagni
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000235:genetics; D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018628:Gene Dosage / Q000235:genetics*; D052138:Genes, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
chemical_list: C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors