Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
Gene Regulation and Targeted Therapy in Gastric Cancer Peritoneal Metastasis: Radiological Findings from Dual Energy CT and PET/CT
Published on: January 22, 2018
Comparison of the epidermal growth factor receptor protein expression between primary non-small cell lung cancer and
Chuangzhou Rao1, Qiongge Hu, Jianhua Ma
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, PR China.
Background:
The knowledge of Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in metastases of NSCLC was limited. In receptor-mediated targeted nuclide radiotherapy, tumor cells are killed with delivered radiation and therapeutic efficiency is mainly dependent on the receptor expression. Thus, the level and stability of receptor expression in both primary tumors and corresponding metastases is crucial in the assessment of a receptor as target. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether EGFR is suitable as target for clinical therapy.
Methods:
Expression of EGFR was investigated immunohistochemically in paired samples of lymph node metastases and corresponding NSCLC primary lesions (n = 51). EGFR expression was scored as 0, 1+, 2+ or 3+.
Results:
Positive (1+, 2+ or 3+) EGFR immunostaining was evident in 36 of 47 (76.6%) analysed NSCLC primary tumors, and in 78.7% of the corresponding lymph node metastases. When EGFR expression is classified as positive or negative, discordance between the primary tumors and the corresponding metastases was observed in 5 cases (10.6%). EGFR overexpression (2+ or 3+) was found in 53.2% (25/47) of the NSCLC primary tumors and 59.6% of the corresponding metastases. Nine out of the 47 paired samples (19.2%) were discordant: Only three patients who had EGFR overexpression in the primary tumors showed EGFR downregulation (0 or 1+) in lymph node metastases, while six patients changed the other way around.
Conclusions:
The EGFR expression in the primary tumor and the corresponding metastasis is discordant in about 10% of the patients. When overexpression is considered, the discordance is observed in about 20% of the cases. However, concerning EGFR overexpression in the primary tumors, similar expression in the metastases could be predicted with a reasonably high probability, which is encouraging for testing of EGFR targeted nuclide radiotherapy.
Insights
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) metastases is often similar to primary tumors. This suggests EGFR is a viable target for targeted nuclide radiotherapy in NSCLC patients.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Radiotherapy
Background:
- Limited knowledge exists regarding Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) metastases.
- Receptor expression stability is crucial for targeted radionuclide therapy efficacy.
- Assessing EGFR suitability as a therapeutic target requires evaluating its expression in both primary tumors and metastases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the suitability of Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as a target for clinical therapy.
- To investigate the expression levels and stability of EGFR in primary NSCLC lesions and corresponding lymph node metastases.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemical analysis of EGFR expression in paired NSCLC primary tumors and lymph node metastases (n=51).
- EGFR expression was quantitatively scored (0, 1+, 2+, 3+).
Main Results:
- EGFR expression was detected in 76.6% of primary NSCLC tumors and 78.7% of metastases.
- Discordance in EGFR expression (positive/negative) between primary tumors and metastases was observed in 10.6% of cases.
- EGFR overexpression (2+ or 3+) showed discordance in approximately 20% of paired samples.
Conclusions:
- EGFR expression in primary NSCLC tumors and metastases shows discordance in about 10% of patients, rising to 20% when considering overexpression.
- Despite discordance, EGFR overexpression in primary tumors allows for reasonably high probability prediction of similar metastatic expression.
- These findings support the potential of EGFR as a target for targeted nuclide radiotherapy in NSCLC.
