Korean J Hepatobiliary Pancreat Surg.  2006 Dec;10(4):13-18.

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and c-erbB-2 Expressions in Biliary Tract Cancers

• Kim JS
• Ahn WS
• Kim KH
• Choi CS
• Yoon HK
• Choi YK

Abstract

PURPOSE: The expressions of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and c-erbB-2 have been considered to be implicated in the genesis and progression of cholangiocarcinomas. However, their clinical roles and pathological characteristics remain uninvestigated. The purpose of this study was to assess the expressions of EGFR and c-erbB-2, and to identify their clinical and pathological significances in biliary tract cancers.
METHODS
One hundred and fourteen samples were obtained from surgically resected biliary tract cancers (72 extrahepatic bile duct cancers, 33 gallbladder cancers, and 9 intrahepatic bile duct cancers). Expressions of EGFR and c-erbB-2 were examined by immunohistochemical staining. Expression rates were analyzed according to the location of the tumor, histologic differentiation, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, lymphovascular invasion, recurrence, and survival rate.
RESULTS
The expression rate of EGFR was 10.7% in biliary tract cancers. EGFR expression was more often observed in moderately- or poorly-differentiated carcinomas than in well-differentiated carcinomas (p=0.0252). No correlations were observed with age, gender, location of tumor, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, lymphovascular invasion, recurrence rate, or survival rate. c-erbB-2 was expressed in 4.5% of biliary tract cancers. c-erbB-2 expression had no significant relationships with clinical and pathological prognostic factors.
CONCLUSION
EGFR expression can be used restrictively as a prognostic indicator of biliary tract cancers. c-erbB-2 expression in biliary tract cancers is very low, and does not show any prognostic significance.

Keyword

EGF receptor; c-erbB-2 protein; Biliary tract cancer

MeSH Terms

Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic
Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic
Biliary Tract Neoplasms*
Biliary Tract*
Cholangiocarcinoma
Epidermal Growth Factor*
Gallbladder Neoplasms
Lymph Nodes
Neoplasm Metastasis
Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor*
Receptor, erbB-2
Recurrence
Survival Rate
Epidermal Growth Factor
Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor
Receptor, erbB-2