EXPOSURE TO AROMATIC-AMINES AND RAS AND C-ERBB-2 OVEREXPRESSION IN BLADDER-CANCER

We have analyzed the bladder biopsies of six bladder cancer patients e xposed to high levels of 2-naphthylamine and benzidine, 11 unexposed b ladder cancer patients, six subjects with benign conditions of the bla dder, and IG healthy subjects. Immunohistochemical analysis of the p21 and p185 protein products, for overexpression of ras and c-erbB-2 onc ogenes, was performed. Overexpression of ras was found in four of six exposed cancer patients, 3 of 11 unexposed cancer patients, zero of si x benign disease patients, and zero of 16 healthy subjects. The odds r atio for ras overexpression, comparing exposed with unexposed cases, w as 5.3 (90% confidence interval 0.6 to 64). Overexpression of c-erB-2 was apparently not associated with occupational exposure.