[Human epidermal growth factor (h-EGF) in gastric carcinomas]

Two hundred and twenty one gastric carcinomas were immunohistochemically stained for h-EGF and we examined the correlation between h-EGF immunoreactivities and histologic findings. Regarding macroscopic and histologic types, incidence of h-EGF immunoreactivities in infiltrating type and in poorly differentiated type was significantly higher than those in localized type and in differentiated type, respectively. In addition, h-EGF producing carcinomas showed high positive rate in prognostic serosal involvement and scirrhous type in stroma. Prognosis in patients with h-EGF producing tumors was poorer than that in those with h-EGF non-producing tumors, especially in stages II and III. These results suggest that h-EGF immunoreactivities serves as a biological marker of high malignancy.