Detection of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Protein among Sudanese Breast Cancer Female Patients using Immunohistochemistry

Abstract

This study was conducted in Radiation and Isotope Center-Khartoum (RICK) and Sudan University of Science and technology, Collage of medical laboratory science during the period from May to December 2012. The aim of this study was to detect the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein among female breast cancers patients. Thirty blocks, previously diagnosed as breast cancer were selected, a brief clinical data were obtained from each patient's file details of age, type of breast cancer, tumor grade, presence of ER, PR, HER2. From each block, two sections were cut using the rotary microtome. One section was stained using haematoxylin and eosin for confirmation of histopathological result, another section was stained for immunohistochemistry using polymer base technique for detection of EGFR protein receptor. The ages of patients ranged between 25 to70 years with mean age (47.5) years. In this study EGFR, receptor status showed positive expression in 14 (46.7%) patients and negative in 16 (53.3) patients. Out of 30 patients, histopathological results revealed ductal carcinoma, tubular carcinoma, ciribriform, papillary carcinoma, and medullary carcinoma as follows 25 (83.3%), Tow (6.7%), one (3.3%), one (3.3%), and one (3.3%) respectively. Among the study subject ER, PR, and Her2 receptors were positive in nine (30%), 7 (23.3%), 11 (36.7%) patients respectively. EGFR receptor or protein expression showed positive in 13 (52%) and one (100%) in ductal carcinoma, and medullary carcinoma respectively, with insignificant relation between expression of EGFR protein and histopathological diagnosis. Out of nine patients showed positive results with ER, the expression of EGFR was positive in only one (11.1%) patients, with statistical significant association From the seven patient's positive for PR, EGFR show negative in all patients. From 23 patient negative for PR, EGFR show positive expression in 14 (60.8%), with statistical significant association.. From 11 patients positive for HER2, EGFR show positive expression in four (36.3%) with statistical insignificant association. Out of 6 (20%) samples not graded EGFR expression was positive in 2 (33.3%) and negative in four (66.7%). While the expression of EGFR among grade II was positive in four (57.1%) Patients and negative in three (42.9%) patients. But among grade III EGFR expression was positive in eight (47.1%) and negative in nine (52.9%) with insignificant relation between EGFR expression and cancer grade. Triple negative receptors status showed positive expression in 15 (50%) patients, out of them EGFR expression was positive in 10 (66.7%) pateints with statistical significant association. The study concluded that EGFR over expression was observed in breast carcinoma, EGFR was inversely related to the presence of ER and PR, and positively associated with triple negative breast cancer. There was no association between EGFR expression and Her2 expression and type and grade of breast cancer