Evaluation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in colorectal tumours and lymph node metastases

• Published in: European journal of cancer (1990) Vol. 38; no. 17; pp. 2258 - 2264
• Main Authors: McKay, J.A, Murray, L.J, Curran, S, Ross, V.G, Clark, C, Murray, G.I, Cassidy, J, McLeod, H.L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-11-2002; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - genetics; Adenocarcinoma - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Cohort Studies; Colorectal cancer; Colorectal Neoplasms - genetics; Colorectal Neoplasms - metabolism; Dinucleotide Repeats - genetics; Epidermal growth factor receptor; ErbB Receptors - metabolism; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Immunohistochemistry - methods; Lymph node metastases; Lymphatic Metastasis; Male; Medical sciences; Neoplasm Proteins - metabolism; Polymorphism; Polymorphism, Genetic; Prognosis; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Survival Analysis; Tumors; Immunohistochemistry; Prognosis; Lymph node metastases; Epidermal growth factor receptor; Colorectal cancer; Polymorphism; Human; Rectal disease; Carcinoma; Lymph node; Cytokine; Malignant lymphadenopathy; Malignant tumor; Metastasis; Colonic disease; Pathology; Growth factor receptor; Epidermal growth factor; Polypeptide; Rectum; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Colon; Molecular biology; Growth factor
• ISSN: 0959-8049; 1879-0852
• DOI: 10.1016/S0959-8049(02)00234-4

Overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) often correlates with an aggressive tumour phenotype and poor prognosis. To examine the relevance of EGFR in colorectal cancer, we determined the expression of EGFR protein in 249 colorectal adenocarcinomas and 42 lymph node metastases using immunohistochemistry. Moreover, we investigated a (CA)n dinucleotide repeat polymorphism of the EGFR gene in a subset of 114 tumours. High levels of EGFR protein were observed in 123/249 (49.4%) samples. EGFR expression in colorectal carcinomas correlated with differentiation grade (P=0.014). However, there were no associations with Dukes' stage, site, patient age or gender. EGFR protein expression did not influence survival in this colorectal cancer patient cohort (P⩾0.05). Expression was not identical in paired colorectal tumours and lymph node metastases, with only 17/42 (40.5%) samples showing equivalent EGFR levels (P>0.05). The distribution of the (CA)n dinucleotide repeat alleles in colorectal adenocarcinomas was not associated with EGFR protein expression (P>0.05). These results indicate that while EGFR overexpression is a common event in colorectal carcinogenesis, it does not influence patient prognosis.