Abstract

BACKGROUND
The overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and c-erbB-2 oncogenes has been implicated in the development of many types of cancer. However, the role of EGFR and c-erbB-2 overexpression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been fully elucidated.
METHODS
The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of EGFR and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in a series of 52 HCCs.
RESULTS
All but one of the HCC tumor tissues were negative for EGFR monoclonal antibody, clone H11. All of the HCC tumor tissue samples were negative for EGFR monoclonal antibody, clone 29.1.1. However, strong EGFR immunoreactivity was detected in sinusoidal endothelial cells of HCC in 25 tumors (48%) using EGFR 29.1.1 antibody. The expression of c-erbB-2 was observed in 6% (3/52) of the HCCs. No significant correlation was found between p53 mutation and the expression of c-erbB-2.
CONCLUSION
Our results suggest that both EGFR and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein overexpressions in tumor cells are rare and do not seem to predominantly contribute to the malignant phenotype in HCC.

• Keywords: Carcinoma;Hepatocellular-Receptor;Epidermal Growth Factor-erbB-2-Immunohistochemistry;