ABSTRACT
Recent studies of erbB-2 expression have shown that the erbB-2 oncoprotein correlated with poor prognosis of patients with breast cancer. Surgical treatment of the bile duct carcinoma is currently unsatisfactory. To evaluate erbB-2 oncoprotein as a marker of prognosis, we analyzed 68 bile duct carcinomas immunohistologically, using monoclonal antibody against erbB-2 oncoprotein, as well as clinicopathological data and outcome. High incidence of expression of erbB-2 oncoprotein was shown in bile duct carcinoma. Positive rates of erbB-2 oncoprotein correlated with stage of bile duct carcinoma. Survival of patients with erbB-2 expression cancer was shorter than those without erbB-2 expression cancer and erbB-2 expression has a prognostic value in bile duct carcinoma.