Epidermal growth factor receptor expression and gene copy number in sinonasal intestinal type adenocarcinoma

• Published in: Oral oncology 2009-09, Vol.45 (9), p.835-838
• Main Authors: Franchi, Alessandro, Fondi, Cristina, Paglierani, Milena, Pepi, Monica, Gallo, Oreste, Santucci, Marco
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma; Adenocarcinoma - genetics; Adenocarcinoma - metabolism; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; EGFR; Female; Fluorescent in situ hybridization; Gene Dosage; Genes, erbB-1 - genetics; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; Intestinal type; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Proteins - genetics; Neoplasm Proteins - metabolism; Nose and paranasal sinuses; Nose Neoplasms - genetics; Nose Neoplasms - metabolism; Occupational; Occupational Diseases - genetics; Occupational Diseases - metabolism; Occupational Exposure - adverse effects; Otolaryngology; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms - genetics; Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms - metabolism; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor - genetics; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor - metabolism; Tumors; Wood - adverse effects
• ISSN: 1368-8375; 1879-0593
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2008.12.005

Summary Sinonasal intestinal type adenocarcinoma (ITAC) is a rare subtype of adenocarcinoma strongly associated with professional exposure to wood or leather dusts. It is an aggressive tumor, with an estimated 5-year survival of 40%. Herein, we report a series of 55 cases tested for epidermal growth factor receptor protein expression and epidermal growth factor receptor gene copy gains, through immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Eighteen tumors (32.7%) showed EGFR positivity, seven of which exhibited high expression levels of the receptor. The frequency of EGF-R overexpression was significantly higher in tumors from woodworkers (6 of 14, 42.8%) than in tumors from leatherworkers (2 of 21, 9.5%), or arising in subjects with no known occupational history (0 of 8) ( P = 0.015, Pearson chi square). No correlation was found with other clinico-pathological parameters, including histologic subtype, stage, overall, and disease free survival. In cases with EGFR overexpression, fluorescent in situ hybridization analysis revealed disomy in three adenocarcinomas, chromosome 7 polysomy in two, and EGFR gene amplification in three. In conclusion, a subset of ITAC, mostly occurring in woodworkers, express high levels of EGFR and this is often associated with either gene amplification or chromosome 7 polysomy. EGFR targeted therapies could therefore be investigated prospectively in this group of tumors.