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Prognostic significance of the overexpression of c‐erbB‐2 protein in adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix
Author(s) -
Kihana Toshimasa,
Tsuda Hitoshi,
Teshima Shinichi,
Nomoto Kiyoaki,
Tsugane Shoichiro,
Sonoda Takahiko,
Matsuura Shumpei,
Hirohashi Setsuo
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19940101)73:1<148::aid-cncr2820730125>3.0.co;2-c
Subject(s) - medicine , uterine cervix , cervix , adenocarcinoma , gynecology , oncology , cancer , carcinoma
Background. The overexpression of c‐ erb B‐2 protein is a prognostic marker in patients with breast cancer. Alteration of the c‐ erb B‐2 oncogene in development of adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix, an unfavorable gynecologic neoplasm, is unknown. Methods. To clarify the role of the c‐ erb B‐2 oncogene in adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix, formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded tissue sections from 44 cases of cervical adenocarcinoma were immunohistochemically examined for expression of c‐ erb B‐2 protein and for c‐ erb B‐2 gene amplification in DNA by slot blot‐hybridization analysis. Results. The expression of c‐ erb B‐2 protein was detected in 34 cases (77%). Strong expression on cell membranes was detected in 11 cases (25%). Most cases with strong membrane expression of c‐ erb B‐2 protein also showed amplification of the c‐ erb B‐2 gene by slot blot‐hybridization. Expression of the protein on cell membranes was more often seen at clinical Stage II or III (9 of 23 [39%]) than at Stage 0 or I (2 of 21 [9%]) (P < 0.05, Fisher's exact test). Expression of the c‐ erb B‐2 protein was also associated with poorer prognosis of patients with cervical adenocarcinoma by comparison of survival curves (P < 0.005) and by the Cox regression model analysis. Conclusions. Overexpression of c‐ erb B‐2 protein is associated with amplification of c‐ erb B‐2 gene and frequently occurred in cervical adenocarcinomas of the patients with poor prognoses.