Assessment of epidermal growth factor receptor expression in N0
laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma
Abstract
Objectives: to determine the Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)
over-expression in laryngeal carcinoma primary tumor and in first
echelon node in N0 neck. Design: A Cross sectional retrospective study.
Setting: Otolaryngology and Pathology Departments, Suez Canal University
Hospital (Ismailia, Egypt). Participants: Twenty five patients. Main
outcome measures: EGFR expression is linked to early neoplastic
transformation, cellular proliferation, and the metastatic process in
laryngeal cancer. Twenty paraffin preserved primary laryngeal squamous
cell carcinoma (LSCC) and their cervical lymph nodes stained with
hematoxylin & eosin and EGFR using immunohistochemical technique with
scoring system. Results: EGFR expression in occult metastasis was
associated with higher T stage (p=<0.001) and higher tumor
grade (p=0.001). EGFR expression in occult metastasis was correlated
with primary LSCC cartilage invasion (p=0.05), lymphovascular invasion
(p=0.028) & muscle invasion (p=0.05). Laryngeal expression of EGFR and
cervical lymph node metastasis as evidenced by EGFR immunohistochemical
staining (p=0.001). Conclusion: EGFR immunohistopathological analysis of
the lymph nodes and the primary tumour is a highly valuable tool for the
detection of the cervical metastatic status and the N stage. Key words:
Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR), Larynx, N0, Squamous cell
Carcinoma, Metastasis