[Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and concentrations of epidermal growth factor and melatonin in...

The aim of the research was to study the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) expression, measure Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and melatonin concentrations in patients with endometrial carcinomas. In order to reveal EGFR expression, immunohistochemical examination of morphologic material (tumor of the uterine body, histopathological diagnosis: endometrial carcinoma) from 21 patients was performed. The EGF blood plasma levels were measured using the method of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).The blood serum levels of melatonin were measured by the method of immunoferment analysis ELISA(IBL International reagent). The resultant numerical data were processed statistically using the computer program SPSS-12-ANOVA. A statistical analysis was also performed using the system IBM SPSS Statistics, version 20. The investigation revealed: 1. In endometrial adenocarcinomas (high-grade, low-grade) the expression of EGFR is detected in 100%. 2. In endometrial adenocarcinomas a relatively weak positive correlation between EGFR expression and melatonin blood serum levels is observed. With that, there is a negative correlation between the blood levels of EGF and melatonin. 3. The average index of EGF blood plasma level in simple endometrial hyperplasia (atypia-free) is significantly lower than that of the patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma, while in complex endometrial hyperplasia (atypia-free) the average index of EGF blood plasma level is slightly lower than in endometrial carcinoma. With low-grade endometrial carcinomas, the average index of EGF blood plasma level is higher compared to that of the patients with high-grade endometrial adenocarcinomas. 4. The average level of blood plasma melatonin in patients with simple/complex endometrial hyperplasia (atypia-free) is significantly higher than in high-grade endometrial adenocarcinoma. 5. In endometrial adenocarcinoma (high-grade, low-grade),a drastic increase in average levels of blood plasma EGF is observed with a correspondingly sharp lowering in average blood serum melatonin levels. 6. Under about equal conditions (strong expression of EGFR in the timorous tissue and sharp/extremely sharp decrease in the levels of anti-proliferative/anti-neoplastic melatonin in blood serum) high values of proliferative EGF content in blood plasma are indicative of poor diagnosis.