EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR RECEPTOR (EGFR) IS NOT RELATED TO THE PROGNOSIS OF CERVICAL-CANCER

We analyzed the prognostic significance of epidermal growth factor rec eptor (EGFR) in a large prospective series of 90 cervical cancer patie nts observed for a long follow-up period. EGFR levels ranged from 0 to 52.1 fmol/mg protein, with a median value of 6.0 fmol/mg protein. Pat ients with an advanced stage of disease expressed lower EGFR levels th an those with an early stage of disease (median values were 7.8 fmol/m g protein for patients with stage I-LI and 4.2 fmol/mg protein for pat ients with stage III-IV, P = 0.013). There was no correlation between EGFR expression and other clinicopathological parameters analyzed, No significant relationship was shown between EGFR positivity and overall survival. No significant relationship between EGFR status and disease -free survival was observed, Cox univariate regression analysis using EGFR as a continuous variable showed that EGFR levels are not associat ed with the risk of disease recurrence after treatment or death (P-val ue not significant). Our data didn't seem to indicate a prognostic rol e of EGFR in cervical cancer. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.