| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2397981 | Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery | 2010 | 9 Pages |
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (FC-SCC) and assess its prognostic role. Nineteen formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded excisional biopsies of FC-SCC were tested for EGFR expression using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Relationships between EGFR expression and histopathological parameters (differentiation, mitotic activity), disease-free interval (DFI) and overall survival (OS) at 24 months were further investigated. Fourteen of 19 tumours (73.7%) were positive for EGFR, with great variation in intensity and proportion of labelled cells. EGFR expression was not correlated with tumour differentiation or mitotic activity. Nine cats (47.4%) died of tumour-related causes. Patients with EGFR-positive tumours had a significantly worse outcome (PÂ =Â 0.0217), with decreased DFIs (PÂ =Â 0.0075) and survival times (PÂ =Â 0.0391). These data suggest that EGFR expression carries a negative prognostic significance in FC-SCC. EGFR inhibitors in association with conventional treatments may improve outcome for the subgroup of cats with EGFR-positive tumours.
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Authors
Silvia DVM, Laura DVM, Dip ECVIM-CA Oncology, Aurora DVM, Maria DVM, PhD, Filippo DVM, Ombretta (Associate Professor), Giuliano (Associate Professor),