Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inconsistency by Immunohistochemistry Method Using Different Monoclonal Antibodies...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunohistochemistry
• Molecular Diagnostics

Background:

• Colorectal cancer (CRC) management often involves targeted therapy.
• Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a key therapeutic target in CRC.
• Consistent EGFR protein expression assessment is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the consistency of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein expression in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues.
• To compare the performance of two different commercial monoclonal antibodies for EGFR detection using immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Main Methods:

• One hundred sixty-four CRC patients' tissue samples were analyzed.
• Standard immunohistochemistry (IHC) procedures were employed.
• Two distinct commercial antibodies, Dako-EGFR and NCL-EGFR, were used simultaneously for EGFR detection.

Main Results:

• EGFR expression levels detected by Dako-EGFR antibody were 46.95%.
• EGFR expression levels detected by NCL-EGFR antibody were 32.32%.
• A fair concordance was observed between the two antibodies in EGFR expression detection.

Conclusions:

• Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a feasible method for detecting EGFR expression in CRC.
• The use of different commercial antibodies for EGFR detection can lead to controversial staining results.
• Standardization of antibody selection is important for reliable EGFR assessment in CRC diagnostics.