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Frequent EpCam protein expression in human carcinomas
Philip Th Went1, Alessandro Lugli, Sandra Meier
1Institute for Pathology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Human Pathology
|January 28, 2004
Summary
Epithelial cellular adhesion molecule (EpCam) is expressed in many carcinomas, making it a promising target for new therapies. This study found EpCam in 98 of 131 tumor types, particularly colon, pancreas, and prostate adenocarcinomas.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Immunotherapy
Background:
- Epithelial cellular adhesion molecule (EpCam) is a transmembrane glycoprotein found in normal epithelium and various carcinomas.
- Anti-EpCam therapies are under clinical investigation, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of EpCam expression in tumors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically analyze the expression frequency and levels of EpCam across a wide spectrum of human tumor types.
- To identify specific tumor types that are most likely to benefit from anti-EpCam targeted therapies.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemistry was performed on a large-scale tissue microarray.
- The microarray comprised 3900 tissue samples representing 134 distinct histological tumor types and subtypes.
Main Results:
- EpCam expression was detected in 98 out of 131 analyzed tumor categories.
- At least weak EpCam expression in over 10% of tumors was observed in 87 tumor categories.
- High EpCam expression was noted in adenocarcinomas of the colon (81%), pancreas (78%), and hormone-refractory prostate cancer (71%).
- Soft-tissue tumors and lymphomas generally showed negative EpCam expression.
Conclusions:
- Anti-EpCam therapies have the potential for broad application in various carcinomas, especially those with high EpCam expression.
- Colon, pancreas, and prostate adenocarcinomas represent promising targets for EpCam-directed treatment strategies.