EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR RECEPTORS AND ERBB2 PROTEIN EXPRESSION IN ESOPHAGEAL CANCER AND NORMAL MUCOSA

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr) and the erbB2 protein (p18 5) concentrations were assessed in 31 esophageal cancer specimens and in the corresponding normal mucosa, in order to investigate the possib le links with the main clinical and pathological parameters. Detectabl e and high affinity EGFr was found in 27/31 cancer and in 18/31 normal tissue samples. EGFr concentrations were not significantly different between cancer and normal tissue, although a trend toward higher level s in cancer was found. No relationships were found with histologic typ e, tumor bulk, lymph node status, pathologic stage, ploidy and type of surgical resection. A significant negative correlation between EGFr l evels and overall survival was found. Detectable levels of p185 were f ound in all the tissues examined, but the expression was higher in ade nocarcinoma than in squamous cell carcinoma samples. The EGFr role in malignant transformation still has to be established, but the determin ation could be of clinical use. As for p185, its role in the onset of esophageal cancer could be confined to the subgroup of the adenocarcin omas.