INTRODUCTION: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is highly prevalent in Brazil, and responsible for high mortality index. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family has four members and much attention has been focused on the expressions of EGFR and c-erbB-2 with therapeutic implications. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate immunohistochemical expressions of c-erbB-2 and EGFR in ESCC, and correlate them with clinicopathological data. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Medical records of 613 patients with ESCC were reviewed. Immunohistochemistry was carried out using polyclonal c-erbB-2 and monoclonal EGFR in 597 and 585 cases, respectively. Cases represented by surgical resections were performed in three tissue microarray (TMA) paraffin blocks spotted in duplicate; those with small biopsies without surgical resections were performed individually. All cases were scored according to intensity and pattern of membrane staining of tumor cells. RESULTS: The expressions of c-erbB-2 and EGFR were observed in 42.4% and 77.6% of the cases, respectively. A significant correlation was found between c-erbB-2 (p = 0.04) and EGFR (p = 0.01) expressions and histological grade. Both markers were significantly more expressed in well/moderate differentiated ESCC than in poorly differentiated ESCC. Although it was not significant, there was a tendency of association between c-erbB-2 overexpression and tumor location, in which positive cases occurred more frequently in the middle third of the esophagus. There was no correlation with overall survival. CONCLUSION: The results may suggest a role for these markers in tumoral differentiation in ESCC.
Immunohistochemistry; c-erbB-2; EGFR; Tissue microarray; Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
