engleski

Expression of the erbB family in colorectal adenocarcinoma

Purpose: The most frequently implicated receptors in human cancers are members of the EGF receptor (erbB) subfamily. In addition to EGFR, it includes erbB-2, erbB-3, and the recently discovered erbB-4. Transforming activity of different erbB genes by overexpression have been observed in a variety of tumors. Gene amplification and/or an icrease in transcription are the most common cause of erbB protein overexpression in tumors. The present study investigates expression of the different erbB proteins in colon cancers and its correlation with patient's survival. Methods: The expression of erbB proteins was examined by immunohistochemistry using specific antibody and immunoperoxidase reaction. The results were analyzed semiquantitatively and correlated with patient's survival. Results: In the present study we found expresion of the EGFR and erbB-2 protein in all tumor specimens investigated. The erbB-3 protein was expressed in 78% colorectal adenocarcinomas. EGFR was overexpressed in 51% of colorectal adenocarcinomas, but there was no correlation between EGFR overexpresion and patient's survival. The level of erbB-2 protein varies between tumors and elevated expression correlates strongly with survival (p<0.001). The patients with tumors that were immunohistochemicaly positive to erbB-3 protein had significantly shorter survival (p<0.01). In a multivariante analysis of clinico-pathological factors and erbB proteins expression, age, Dukes' stage, erbB-2 and erbB-3 protein were found to be independent prognostic markers. Conclusion: This findings indicate that assessement of erbB-2 and erbB-3 overexpression can be useful indicator in prognosis of colorectal adenocarcinoma.

oncogene; erbB family; colorectal adenocarcinoma

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