Correlation of c-erbB-2 protein expression and lymph node status in early gastric cancer

For the prediction of nodal status of early gastric cancer, sections of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from 220 early gastric cancers were analyzed immunohistochemically, using a polyclonal antibody against erbB-2 protein. The data of erbB-2 protein expression have been correlated with pathologic data, and a logistic regression analysis was made for the estimation of the significant factors responsible for lymph node metastasis. A pattern consistent with cell membrane staining was regarded as most specific for the erbB-2 expression. There were 22 (10%) cancers with evidence of erbB-2 protein expression. Positive staining was associated with only lymph node metastasis. The risk of lymph node metastasis was 3-fold greater in tumors having erbB-2 protein expression than in tumors without the expression. When the erbB-2 tissue status and clinicopathological parameters were entered into the logistic regression analysis, erbB-2 protein expression emerged as one of the independent significant factors for lymph node metastasis. These results indicate that early gastric cancer with erbB-2 protein expression may represent a potential risk of lymph node metastasis.