title: Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas do not express EGFRvIII.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of EGFRvIII, a specific variant of EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor), in 3 well-defined cohorts of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemistry for the specific detection of EGFRvIII using the L8A4 antibody was optimized on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue using glioblastoma tissue. It was compared with EGFR and EGFRvIII RNA expression using a specific reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction also optimized for formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue. Tissue microarrays including 531 HNSCCs of various stages with complete clinicopathologic and follow-up data were tested for the presence of EGFRvIII.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the 531 cases showed EGFRvIII protein expression. Using an immunohistochemistry protocol reported by others revealed cytoplasmic staining in 8% of cases. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for the EGFRvIII transcript of the 28 highest cytoplasmic staining cases, as well as 69 negative cases, did not show expression in any of the tested cases, suggesting aspecific staining by a nonoptimal protocol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The EGFRvIII mutation is not present in HNSCC. Therefore, EGFRvIII does not influence treatment response in HNSCC and is not a usable clinical prognostic marker.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: l.j.melchers@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Lieuwe J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Melchers
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Martijn J A M
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Clausen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mirjam F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Mastik
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lorian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Slagter-Menkema
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Johannes A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Langendijk
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bernard F A M
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: van der Laan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jacqueline E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: van der Wal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: van der Vegt
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan L N
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Roodenburg
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ed
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schuuring
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C410723:epidermal growth factor receptor VIII; D012313:RNA; D066246:ErbB Receptors