[Expression of EGF-R in gastric carcinoma and precancerous lesion].

ABSTRACT

The expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) in normal gastric mucosa, gastric mucosal dysplasia, early and advanced gastric carcinoma was studied with the monoclonal antibody to EGF-R by using immunohistochemical ABC method. Normal gastric mucosa was negative for EGF-R, but a relatively high positive rate was found in dysplasia. When gastric carcinoma occurred, the positive rate decreased. The expression of EGF-R was related to the poor differentiation and strong infiltration of gastric carcinoma. The carcinoma with the expression of EGF-R was easy to metastasize to lymph nodes. The result suggests that EGF-R might play some role in the process of carcinogenesis of gastric mucosa, and be used as a useful marker for the assessment of the biological behavior of gastric carcinoma.