Clinical Implications of the EGF Receptor/Ligand System for Tumor Progression and Survival in Gastrointestinal Carcinomas: Evidence for New Therapeutic Options

摘要

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and its various ligands (EGF, TGF-alpha, amphiregulin, heparin-binding (HB)-EGF, heregulin, betacellulin) seem to be involved in the growth regulation of intestinal mucosa and might be related to the development and progression of gastrointestinal tumors. However, few quantitative data investigating the impact of tumor-EGF receptor levels in gastrointestinal carcinomas on tumor stage and prognosis are available. Therefore, EGF receptors were quantitatively determined in colorec-tal carcinomas in comparison to adjacent normal mucosa by ~125I [EGF]-binding studies. EGFR capacity was increased in advanced invasive colorectal carcinomas (Tl/2 vs. T3/4 tumors, p<0.001) and advanced UICC stages (UICC I vs. UICC II/III, p<0.001).