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Epidermal growth factor receptor and cyclin D1 are independently amplified and overexpressed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

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Abstract

Purpose

To assess the status of EGFR, HER-2, and CCND1 at the gene and protein levels in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods

Dual-color FISH assays were performed using DNA probes for EGFR/CEP 7, HER-2/CEP 17, and CCND1/CEP 11. The respective proteins, furthermore, was assessed in IHC assays and correlated with patient and tumor characteristics.

Results

From 55 ESCCs, 8 (15%) tumors showed gene amplification and 20 (36%) had gene overrepresentation (balanced gene and chromosome 7 polysomy) for EGFR. High-level protein expression was frequent (49%), positively correlated with gene copy numbers (kappa=0.4), and associated with well-differentiated histology (p=0.02). For HER-2, gene amplification was detected in a single tumor (2%) and protein overexpression was rare (9%). CCND1 gene was amplified in 23 (42%) tumors; likewise, CCND1 protein overexpression was common (58%) and prevailed in gene overrepresentation or amplification. Only 1 patient showed gene amplification for both EGFR and CCND1. Survival was not associated with EGFR or CCND1 gene/protein status, whereas negative patients for HER-2 protein had a better survival than positive patients (p=0.04).

Conclusions

Frequent overexpression and gene amplification of EGFR and CCND1 make these molecules and their pathways potential therapeutic targets for ESCC. In addition, EGFR and CCND1 appeared to be independently altered suggesting alternative mechanisms for pathway activation. Therapeutic agents targeting these molecules are urged to be tested in clinical trials and comprehensive biological analyses should be included to properly interpret the outcome.

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Acknowledgements. The authors acknowledge the skillful assistance of N. Aumen in the IHC assays, A. Palma in the database entry, and P. Taupradist for reviewing the patient data. This work was supported in part by the NCI grant CCSG P30-CA46934. P. Sunpaweravong and S. Sunpaweravong were post-doctoral fellows sponsored by the Prince of Songkla University, Songkla, Thailand.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, 90110, Songkla, Thailand

    Patrapim Sunpaweravong, Somkiat Sunpaweravong, Puttisak Puttawibul & Winyou Mitarnun

  2. Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO, 80262, USA

    Chan Zeng & Anna E. Barón

  3. Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, , CO, 80262, USA

    Wilbur Franklin & Sherif Said

  4. Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO, 80262, USA

    Patrapim Sunpaweravong & Marileila Varella-Garcia

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  1. Patrapim Sunpaweravong
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  2. Somkiat Sunpaweravong
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  4. Winyou Mitarnun
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  5. Chan Zeng
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  6. Anna E. Barón
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  7. Wilbur Franklin
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  9. Marileila Varella-Garcia
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Correspondence to Patrapim Sunpaweravong.

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Sunpaweravong, P., Sunpaweravong, S., Puttawibul, P. et al. Epidermal growth factor receptor and cyclin D1 are independently amplified and overexpressed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 131, 111–119 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-004-0610-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-004-0610-7

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