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Expression of EGFR, HER-2/neu and KIT in germ cell tumours

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Abstract

Background

Germ cell tumours (GCTs) represent an extraordinarily chemosensitive malignancy. However, 20–30% of patients with advanced disease cannot be cured by currently available treatments. The role of tyrosine kinase receptors has been widely studied in other malignancies. Yet, limited information is available on GCTs.

Methods

One hundred and nine paraffin-embedded GCTs in 84 patients were assessed by immunohistochemistry for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2)/neu and KIT (CD117) expression. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate their role as predictive and/or prognostic factors.

Results

EGFR and HER-2/neu staining was detected in 28% and 13% of tumours, respectively, predominantly in nonseminomatous GCTs. KIT protein was almost universally expressed in seminomas (97%), being virtually absent in choriocarcinoma and teratocarcinoma subtypes. EGFR expression showed inverse association with tumour response of borderline significance. With a median follow-up of 10.6 years, no significant association was observed between the expression of any of these markers and relapsefree or overall survival.

Conclusions

EGFR, HER-2/neu and KIT have differential patterns of expression in GCTs according to histological subtypes. The expression of these markers in our series had no prognostic or predictive significance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario Doce de Octubre, Madrid, Spain

    Ignacio Durán, Adelaida García-Velasco, Hernán Cortés-Funés & Luis Paz-Ares

  2. Pathology Department, Hospital Universitario Doce de Octubre, Madrid, Spain

    Claudio Ballestín, Elena García & Francisco Martínez-Tello

  3. Biostatistics Department Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada

    Gregory R. Pond

  4. Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Severo Ochoa Leganés, Madrid, Spain

    Rocío García-Carbonero

  5. Centro Integral Oncológico Clara Campal, C/ Oña, 10, ES-28050, Madrid, Spain

    Ignacio Durán

Authors
  1. Ignacio Durán
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  2. Adelaida García-Velasco
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  3. Claudio Ballestín
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  4. Elena García
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  5. Francisco Martínez-Tello
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  6. Gregory R. Pond
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  7. Rocío García-Carbonero
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  8. Hernán Cortés-Funés
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  9. Luis Paz-Ares
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Correspondence to Ignacio Durán.

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Durán, I., García-Velasco, A., Ballestín, C. et al. Expression of EGFR, HER-2/neu and KIT in germ cell tumours. Clin Transl Oncol 12, 443–449 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-010-0532-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-010-0532-6

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