title: [Clinical significance of human epidermal growth factor receptor family molecules expression in gastric cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the association of human epidermal growth factor receptor family molecules expression in gastric cancer tissues with the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical data of 161 patients with gastric cancer undergoing gastrectomy in Jiangsu Cancer Hospital between January 2006 and January 2007 were analyzed retrospectively. The expression of HER1, HER2, HER3 and HER4 was detected by immunohistochemistry. Association of the expression of HER family with the prognosis of patients was examined. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High expression rates of HER1, HER2, HER3 and HER4 were 46.0% (74/161), 10.6% (17/161),55.9% (90/161) and 68.3% (110/161) respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that high expression of HER3 was associated with tumor invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, stage, neurovascular invasion, and overall 4-year survival. High expression of HER4 was associated with tumor distant metastasis and stage. High co-expression of HER2 and HER3 was associated with overall 4-year survival (P=0.023). Multivariate analysis revealed that high expression of HER3 and stage were prognostic independent factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Up-regulated expression of HER3 is associated with the poor prognosis in gastric cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Sugery, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Rong-min
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Xue-zhi
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Ming
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Xin-yu
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Huan-qiu
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D020893:Receptor, ErbB-3 / Q000378:metabolism; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D066246:ErbB Receptors; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D020893:Receptor, ErbB-3; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4; C512478:EGFR protein, human; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human; C581292:ERBB3 protein, human; C587689:ERBB4 protein, human