Expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in primary human tumors: an immunohistochemistry study
Suwanagool, P.; Parichatikanond, P.; Maeda, S.
Asian Pacific Journal of Allergy and Immunology 11(2): 119-122
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-877X PMID: 7915904 Document Number: 417170
An immunohistochemical study was performed with 130 primary malignant human tumors of breast (n = 55).colon/rectum (n = 1 6), stomach (n = 1 9), esophagus in = 14), lung in = 15) and liver (n = 11) using the 21 N c-erbB-2 specific monoclonal antibody to identify the tumors that over-expressed the c-erbB-2 oncoprotein. Positivity appeared as an intense brown granular staining located predominantly at the cell membrane. This occurred In 41.8% of breast carcinomas, 12.5% of colorectal adenocarcinomas. None of the gastric adenocarcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas of the esophagus, small cell lung carcinomas or hepatocellular carcinomas were positive for the oncoprotein. The result of this study suggests that overexpression of the c-erbB-2 oncoprotein is common in breast cancer and relatively rare in other malignancies examined.