So. Ibrahim et al., EXPRESSION OF C-ERBB PROTOONCOGENE FAMILY MEMBERS IN SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Anticancer research, 17(6D), 1997, pp. 4539-4546
The exact role of oncogenes and proto-oncogenes in the development of
squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) is still debatabl
e. The expression of the c-erbB-2, c-erbB-3 and c-erbB-4 members of th
e epidermal growth factor receptor family was examined in 16 fresh fro
zen tissue specimens of SCCHN using avidin-biotin complex immunohistoc
hemistry, with monoclonal and/or polyclonal antibodies directed agains
t each. Eight fresh frozen tissue specimens of normal oral mucosa were
included as controls. Of the SCCHN examined, mixed membrane/cytoplasm
ic staining (moderate to intense) of c-erbB-2 was found in 14/16 cases
(88%). When present in the specimen, immunopositive staining of c-erb
B-2 was seen in some of the oral surface epithelial cell layers (basal
, intermediate and/or superficial) as well as the tumour islands. Weak
cytoplasmic staining of c-erbB-3 and c-erbB-4 was found in 13/16 (81%
) and 11/16 (69%) cases respectively. When present in the specimen, c-
erbB-3 and cerbB-4 immunopositive staining was seen in some of the ora
l surface epithelial cell layers (basal, intermediate and/or superfici
al) as well as the tumour islands. For the positive carcinomas for c-e
rbB-2, c-erbB-3 and c-erbB-4, the epithelium located near the carcinom
as showed weak mixed membrane/cytoplasmic staining of c-erbB-2 in 5/14
cases (36%), weak cytoplasmic staining of c-erbB-3 in 7/13 cases (54%
) and of c-erbB-4 in 3/11 cases (27%). All the normal control oral muc
osa showed the same pattern of staining for c-erbB-2 c-erbB-3 and c-er
bB-4 found in the epithelium located near the carcinomas. Only express
ion of c-erbB-2 was found to correlate with the increase in the tumour
stage, while co-expression of c-erbB-2, c-erbB-3 and c-erbB-4 was fou
nd to correlate with the patient survival time in 25% of the carcinoma
s examined. The present study shows that a) expression of c-erbB-2, bu
t not c-erbB-3 and c-erbB-4 correlates with the increase of the tumour
stage b) co-expression of c-erbB-2, c-erbB-3 and c-erbB4 correlates w
ith decreased survival time in some of the cases of SCCHN, but not the
majority c) co-expression of the c-erbB family in normal oral mucosa
as well as in the carcinoma may question whether the increased tendenc
y for development of the disease is due to co-expression of c-erbB pro
to-oncogenes in head and neck lesions.