Immunohistochemical Study of C-erbB-2 and VEGF Expression in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer / 결핵및호흡기질환

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Mutated or deregulated expression of C-erbB-2 causes this gene to function as a potent oncogene. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a crucial angiogenic molecule in lung cancer. Both C-erbB-2 and VEGF can promote growth, proliferation and metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The purpose of this study was to investigate evaluate the relationship between the expressions of the C-erbB-2 and VEGF genes using immunohistochemistry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-five patients with NSCLC were involved (60 squamous cell carcinoma and 35 adenocarcinoma). The formalin-fixed paraffin embedded specimens were immunohistochemically stained for C-erbB-2 and VEGF using the avidin-biotin complex method. RESULTS: Positive C-erbB-2 expression was observed more often in adenocarcinomas than squamous cell carcinomas (p<0.05). Although the immunohistochemical expressions of C-erbB-2 and VEGF in non-small-cell lung cancer showed increased tendencies at an advanced stage, the correlation between early and advanced cancers was insignificant. In adenocarcinomas, the expressions of VEGF and C-erbB-2 were significantly (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The overexpression fo C-erbB-2 was significantly higher in adenocarcinomas than squamous cell carcinomas, and correlated with the expression of VEGF in adenocarcinomas of the lungs.