Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas do not express EGFRvIII

Lieuwe J Melchers; Martijn J A M Clausen; Mirjam F Mastik; Lorian Slagter-Menkema; Johannes A Langendijk; Bernard F A M van der Laan; Jacqueline E van der Wal; Bert van der Vegt; Jan L N Roodenburg; Ed Schuuring

doi:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2014.06.035

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas do not express EGFRvIII

Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2014 Oct 1;90(2):454-62. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2014.06.035.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: l.j.melchers@umcg.nl.
² Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
³ Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
⁴ Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
⁵ Department of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
⁶ Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
⁷ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.

PMID: 25304797
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2014.06.035

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the prevalence of EGFRvIII, a specific variant of EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor), in 3 well-defined cohorts of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Methods and materials: Immunohistochemistry for the specific detection of EGFRvIII using the L8A4 antibody was optimized on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue using glioblastoma tissue. It was compared with EGFR and EGFRvIII RNA expression using a specific reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction also optimized for formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue. Tissue microarrays including 531 HNSCCs of various stages with complete clinicopathologic and follow-up data were tested for the presence of EGFRvIII.

Results: None of the 531 cases showed EGFRvIII protein expression. Using an immunohistochemistry protocol reported by others revealed cytoplasmic staining in 8% of cases. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for the EGFRvIII transcript of the 28 highest cytoplasmic staining cases, as well as 69 negative cases, did not show expression in any of the tested cases, suggesting aspecific staining by a nonoptimal protocol.

Conclusions: The EGFRvIII mutation is not present in HNSCC. Therefore, EGFRvIII does not influence treatment response in HNSCC and is not a usable clinical prognostic marker.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / metabolism*
Cohort Studies
ErbB Receptors / analysis*
ErbB Receptors / genetics
Female
Head and Neck Neoplasms / metabolism*
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Male
Middle Aged
Mutation
Neoplasm Proteins / analysis*
Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
RNA / analysis
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
Tissue Array Analysis / methods

Substances

Neoplasm Proteins
epidermal growth factor receptor VIII
RNA
ErbB Receptors