Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Expression and Endometrial Cancer Histotypes

• Published in: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1994-09, Vol.734 (1), p.298-305
• Main Authors: JASONNI, VALERIO M., SANTINI, DONATELLA, AMADORI, ANDREA, CECCARELLI, CLAUDIO, NALDI, SILVIA
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - metabolism; Adenocarcinoma - pathology; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous - metabolism; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous - pathology; Carcinoma, Papillary - metabolism; Carcinoma, Papillary - pathology; Endometrial Neoplasms - metabolism; Endometrial Neoplasms - pathology; ErbB Receptors - metabolism; Female; Humans
• ISSN: 0077-8923; 1749-6632
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1994.tb21759.x

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) has been implicated in the growth of endometrial cancer. In the present study, immunostaining of EGF-R was investigated in different endometrial cancer histotypes. For this purpose 34 surgical samples of primary endometrial carcinoma were studied using monoclonal anti-EGF-R antibody. The endometrial carcinomas were classified according to the International Society of Gynaecological Pathology (I.S.G.P.). EGF-R expression was observed in: 1 of 5 classical endometrioid adenocarcinomas (AE), in 8 of 9 endometrial adenocarcinomas with benign squamous metaplasia (AA), and in 3 of 14 adenosquamous adenocarcinomas (AS). In mucinous (M) and serous papillary adenocarcinoma (SP) EGF-R immunostaining was not observed. The EGF-R positivity was observed in endometrial cancer with squamous (SQ) differentiation, especially in those with benign SQ metaplasia. These results suggest that EGF-R immunostaining is related to the endometrial cancer histotype regardless of the tumor grade or extent of miometrial invasion.