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Updated: Jul 16, 2026
Validated Immunochemical Assay for Comprehensive Determination of the Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Released from and Bound to Cells
Published on: May 9, 2025
Radioligand binding assay determination of epidermal growth factor receptor in ovarian tumours
S Tomov1, D Tzingilev, G Gorchev
1Clinic of Gynecologic Oncology, Oncologic Center, Medical University, Pleven, Bulgaria.
Purpose:
To introduce a quantitative method for determination of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in tissue samples taken from normal ovaries, benign and malignant ovarian tumours, convenient for routine tests.
Materials And Methods:
About 1g of tissue was taken intraoperatively from 136 patients; 105 of them had histologically verified ovarian tumours (64 malignant, 42 benign) and 30 had normal ovaries. The tissue was frozen, preserved and transported in liquid nitrogen (-196 degrees C). The level and frequency of EGFR expression were determined by radioligand method, utilizing (125)I-labeled epidermal growth factor (EGF) and recombinant human EGF. The results were obtained as fmol bound EGF per mg protein from the membrane fraction. All samples having expression >/=3 fmol/mg were considered as positive.
Results:
The frequency of EGFR expression was 52% (70/136 patients), with a mean level of expression 45 +/-11 fmol/mg (range 0-1332). From the EGFR-positive patients with malignant ovarian tumours 21 (62%) had progressive disease (PD) while only 4 (13%) patients with negative EGFR had PD (p=0.001). The mean progression-free interval in the first group was 4 months, and in the second group it was 11 months (p=0.0028).
Conclusion:
The proposed quanitative radioligand binding assay is easy to perform, rapid and well reproducible, and we recommend it for routine clinical use.
