EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR IN HUMAN BREAST-CANCER, ENDOMETRIAL CARCINOMAAND LUNG-CANCER - ITS RELATIONSHIP TO EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR RECEPTOR, ESTRADIOL-RECEPTOR AND TUMOR TNM

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) were measured in 60 breast cancers (BC), 6 benign mammary tumors (BM), 8 samples of no rmal breast (NB), 6 endometrial carcinomas (EC) and 30 lung cancers (L C). EGF was measured in plasma, saliva and urine from 20 patients with BC, before and after tumor excision, and in 8 patients with metastati c disease. The median EGF in BM and BC was significantly higher (P < 0 .05) than in NB. No significant correlation between EGF and EGFR was f ound in BC. Neither tumor excision nor the spreading of the disease si gnificantly modified the EGF concentrations in biological fluids. In L C there was an inverse relationship between EGF and EGFR (rs = -0.36; P = 0.09), which disappeared in normal lung. It is concluded that EGF may play a role in malignant transformation; however, the weak correla tion between EGF and EGFR lessens the importance of EGF in either auto crine or paracrine stimulation of tumor growth.