Expression Of EGFR And C-erbB-2 Protein In Salivary Gland Tumor And Their Clinical Implications

ObjectiveTumor is the most common disease in salivary gland tissue, and the genesis is that growth factor and it's receptor, cytokine, many oncogene protein and anti-oncogene protein which accommodate the metabolism of DNA has been changed. The epidermal growth factor receptor and it's ligands are the important signal systems that regulate normal cell growth. Abnormal expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor and it's ligands has been associated with malignant transformation. This text is to study the expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (C-erbB-2) in salivary gland tumor and discuss their clinical implications.MethodsAll specimens were obtained from patients of Tongji hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Seventy cases of salivary gland tumor were included in this study. Among these cases, there were 30 samples of benign tumors, 40 samples of malignant tumors. SP immunohistochemical method was used to investigate the positive expression rates of EGFR and C-erbB-2 in paraffin-embedded salivary gland tumors. Meanwhile,we used lacteal gland infitrating ductal carcinoma sections which have positive expression of EGFR and C-erbB-2 as control group.ResultsEGFR positive staining was observed in cytomembrane or cytoplasm; C-erbB-2 positive staining was observed in cytomembrane. The positive expression rates of EGFR were 67.5% in malignant salivary gland tumor, whereas only 43.3% of benign were EGFR positive (P<0.05). The positive expression rates of C-erbB-2 were 33.3% in malignant salivary gland tumor, which was significantly higher than that benign tumor of 6.7%(P<0.05). The expression levels of C-erbB-2 and EGFR protein were positively correlated in malignant salivary gland tumor (r= 0.665,P<0.01).ConclusionThere existed positive expressions of EGFR and C-erbB-2 in salivary gland tumor, and co-overexpression of C-erbB-2 and EGFR might provide evidence for the early diagnosis and treatment of salivary gland tumor, as well as the assessment of prognosis.