[Relationship between c-erbB2 oncoprotein expression and biologic behavior of cervical squamous cell cancer]

To investigate the relationship between c-erbB2 oncoprotein expression and biologic behavior and prognosis of cervical squamous cell cancer.

Immunohistochemistry was used to examine the c-erbB2 oncoprotein expression in 62 cases of cervical sequamous cell cancer, 9 cases of cervical iutraepithelical neoplasia (CIN) and 10 cases of normal epidermal tissues section of the cervix.

Nineteen of 62 cancers and 1 of 9 cases of CIN showed positive staining. None of normal epithelium showed positive. In cervical cancer the positive staining rate of c-erbB2 oncoprotein in grade 1, 2 and 3 was 12.5%, 27.6% and 52.9% respectively. There was a significant difference between grade 1 + 2 and grade 3 (P = 0.019). In 20 cases operated on, 3 of 6 cases with positive staining had pelvic lymph node metastasis, while only 1 of 14 cases with negative staining had metastasis (P = 0.032). The 5-year survival rate of positive staining group was significantly lower than that of negative group (31.5% Vs 74.4%, P < 0.001).

The c-erbB2 oncoprotein expression on cervical sequamous cell cancer was related to agressive biologic behavior and poor prognosis.