Y. Ohsaki et al., Epidermal growth factor receptor expression correlates with poor prognosisin non-small cell lung cancer patients with p53 overexpression, ONCOL REP, 7(3), 2000, pp. 603-607
To determine whether cancer patients with tumor suppressor gene abnormality
survive for a shorter time when their growth was stimulated by growth fact
ors, we examined 290 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) specimens for p53 a
nd epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein expressions using immuno
histochemical staining. The distribution of cases by pathological stage of
tumor was 155 cases of stage I, 30 cases of stage II, 96 cases of stage III
and 9 cases of stage IV. Pathological types were 142 adenocarcinomas, 127
squamous cell carcinomas, 17 large cell carcinomas and 4 other types of mal
ignancy, Immunohistochemical staining was performed on the formalin fixed,
paraffin-embedded materials with monoclonal antibodies DO-7 and clone EGFR.
133. Positive staining for EGFR was seen in 124 (42.8%) cases. More EGFR po
sitive cases were found in squamous cell carcinomas than in non-squamous ce
ll carcinomas (p=0.0121). Staining for p53 protein was observed in 147 (50.
7%) specimens. Multivariate proportional hazard model analyses revealed EGF
R protein expression as a risk factor in the patients with NSCLC (p=0.0240)
. Patients negative for both EGFR and p53 survived for a longer period of t
ime (p=0.0427).