Increased estrogen receptor and epidermal growth factor receptor gene product co-expression in surgically resected gastric adenocarcinomas
✍ Scribed by Koullias, George J.; Kouraklis, Gregorios P.; Raftopoulos, Ioannis S.; Davaris, Panagiotis S.; Papadopoulos, Stefanos Ap.; Golematis, Basil Ch.
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1996
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 496 KB
- Volume
- 63
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0022-4790
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✦ Synopsis
Background: Evidence exists that estrogens influence the action of epidermal growth factor (EGFj and its receptor (EGF-Rj at multiple levels. Estrogen and antiestrogen action on gastric and other gastrointestinal malignancies has been evaluated by several groups with conflicting results, and EGF-R has been implicated in the current growth factor-mediated models for gastric cancer progression.
Methods: ERs and EGF-Rs were detected immunohistochemically in a total of 53 advanced gastric carcinomas using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to human ERs and EGF-Rs. Results: ERs were expressed in 30 (56%) and EGF-Rs in 20 (38%) of the gastric tumors. ER( +) gastric tumors were closely associated with the intestinal type ( P < 0.01 j, whereas EGF-R( + j tumors were significantly correlated with poor differentiation status and ER( +) expression ( P < 0.01). Of EGF-R( + j tumors, 85% were also ER( +). EGF-R and ER co-expression was demonstrated in 17 tumors (32% of the group). These cases were significantly corelated with poor differentiation and large tumor size upon resection ( P < 0.05).
Conclusions: ER and EGF-R co-expression indicates that a functional interaction between estrogens and EGF may exist in gastric cancer and that when such an interaction becomes operative, it may lead to dedifferentiation and increased tumor growth.