A. Harlozinska et al., EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR RECEPTOR AND C-ERBB-2 ONCOPROTEINS IN TISSUE AND TUMOR EFFUSION CELLS OF HISTOPATHOLOGICALLY DIFFERENT OVARIAN NEOPLASMS, Tumor biology, 19(5), 1998, pp. 364-373
The overexpression of two growth factor receptors - epidermal growth f
actor receptor (EGFR) and c-erbB-2 - was evaluated immunohistochemical
ly in malignant and benign ovarian neoplasms, considering the stage of
the disease and histology of tumors, The comparison of EGFR and c-erb
B-2 reactivity in tissue sections and respective cyst and/or ascitic f
luid cells was also performed. c-erbB-2 expression was detected in 44.
4% of ovarian carcinomas, and in benign neoplasms there was no evidenc
e of its staining, while EGFR reactivity was found both in malignant (
58.7%) and benign (50%) tumors. Significant heterogeneity of staining
was observed, however, the relationship between EGFR and c-erbB-2 expr
ession in tissue sections and cpt and/or ascitic fluid cells in indivi
dual patients was evident. The expression of both growth factor recept
ors was not correlated with histopathological subtypes of ovarian neop
lasms, The c-erbB-2 oncoprotein was detected more frequently in III/IV
than in I/II stages according to the criteria of the International Fe
deration of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and the EGFR expression w
as independent of the clinical advancement of the disease. The coexpre
ssion of c-erbB-2 and EGFR was shown in 32% of ovarian carcinomas, and
it dominated in cases with FIGO stages III/IV. Our results indicate t
hat the increase of the EGFR expression appears to be associated with
early stages of ovarian tumorigenesis, and the enhancement of c-erbB-2
reactivity may cooperate with EGFR activation in the development and
progression of ovarian carcinomas.