EXPRESSION OF EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR-RELATED PROTEINS AND EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR RECEPTOR IN COMMON EPITHELIAL OVARIAN-TUMORS

The biologic significance of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-related pro teins and EGF receptor (EGFR) in the development and progression of hu man ovarian carcinoma was studied in 17 ovarian cystadenomas, 6 mucino us tumors of low malignant potential (LMP), and 25 invasive adenocarci nomas by immunohistochemistry. Results were correlated with clinicopat hologic features. We also examined immunoreactivity in five serous ade nocarcinomas both before and after cisplatin chemotherapy. Amphireguli n (AR) expression was observed only in mucinous tumors (4 of 8 cystade nomas, 2 of 6 tumors of LMP, and 6 of 10 cystadenocarcinomas), but was not detected in the serous tumors or clear cell adenocarcinomas. EGF, cripto, and EGFR expression was significantly higher in mucinous cyst adenocarcinomas than in mucinous cystadenomas or mucinous tumors of LM P, Three of five specimens obtained at a second operation after chemot herapy had moro intense or diffuse immunostaining for transforming gro wth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) than the initial specimens did. Coexpress ion of more than two of the EGF-related proteins or EGFR significantly correlated with increased surgical stage in serous and clear cell car cinoma. AR expression seems to correlate with mucinous differentiation rather than with advanced stages of ovarian tumors. Our results indic ate that expression of some EGF-related proteins is greater in certain subtypes of ovarian carcinomas than in their benign counterparts and that coexpression of these proteins is associated with advanced stage in serous and clear cell carcinoma. Increased TGF-alpha expression may also be related to ovarian tumor resistance to cisplatin chemotherapy .