Nuclear and Cytoplasmic Expression of ErbB-4 in Prostate Cancer

• Published in: The International journal of biological markers Vol. 22; no. 3; pp. 181 - 185
• Main Authors: Ben-Yosef, R., Sarid, D., Vexler, A., Lidawi, G., Inbar, M., Marmor, S., Starr, A., Hahoshen, N. Yaal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Milano Wichtig 01.07.2007
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analytical, structural and metabolic biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor - biosynthesis; Cell Nucleus - enzymology; Cytoplasm - enzymology; Disease Progression; Disease-Free Survival; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Prognosis; Prostate-Specific Antigen - blood; Prostate-Specific Antigen - metabolism; Prostatic Neoplasms - blood; Prostatic Neoplasms - enzymology; Prostatic Neoplasms - pathology; Prostatic Neoplasms - therapy; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor - biosynthesis; Receptor, ErbB-4; Signal Transduction; Urinary system disease; Prostate disease; ErbB-4; Staining; Biochemistry; Malignant tumor; Clinical biology; Nuclear staining; Cytoplasmic staining; Molecular biology; Male genital diseases; Prostate cancer; Cytoplasm
• ISSN: 0393-6155; 1724-6008
• DOI: 10.1177/172460080702200303

To evaluate cytoplasmic and nuclear ErbB-4 expression in prostate cancer specimens and its association with outcome. Specimens of 50 prostate cancer patients were investigated for ErbB-4 overexpression using Immunohistochemistry staining. Cytoplasmic and nuclear staining was graded as 0-3 according to its intensity. The prognostic parameters were tumor stage, PSA level, Gleason score, probability of positive lymph nodes (Partin's tables and Roach equation), and 5-year disease free survival (Kattan nomogram). Overexpression of ErbB-4 (> or = 1) was detected in 30 (60%) patients and overexpression using cytoplasmic and nuclear staining was > or = 2 in 19 (38%) and 17 (34%) patients, respectively. In only one third of the specimens was there any similarity between the 2 types of staining. Advanced tumor stage, high pretreatment PSA levels and high Gleason scores were evenly distributed among the patients with low (< or = 1) and intermediate/high (> or = 2) ErbB-4 expression. The probability of lymph node involvement and 5-year disease free survival were similar in both types of staining. ErbB-4 was overexpressed (cytoplasmic and nuclear staining) in approximately one third of prostate cancer patients. The rate of similarity between the 2 staining types was only 33%: overexpression was evenly distributed among intermediate/high and low risk prostate cancer patients with both staining methods.