EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR AND ITS RECEPTOR IN CERVICAL-CANCER

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is an important growth factor regulating both normal and malignant cells. The present study analyzes the expre ssion pattern of EGF and its receptor (EGF-R) in 424 cases of various stages of tumor progression in the uterine cervix. In all the samples studied, EGF and EGF-R expression was predominant in the basal or basa loid cells. Increased expression of the two proteins correlated with i ncreasing histological abnormality (dysplasia). In invasive cancer, al teration of EGF expression was more evident than EGF-R. The expression pattern showed significant correlation in the basal and spinal cell l ayers. This increased expression of EGF observed in dysplastic and mal ignant cells may be due to overexpression of EGF-R and suggests its ro le in cellular proliferation.