Quantification of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in canine mammary tumours by ELISA assay: clinical and prognostic implications |
| |
| Authors: | F. L. Queiroga M. D. Perez‐Alenza A. González‐Gil G. Silván L. Peña J. C. Illera |
| |
| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás‐os‐Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal;2. Center for Research and Technology of Agro‐Environment and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás‐os‐Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal;3. Department of Animal Medicine, Surgery and Pathology, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain;4. Department of Animal Physiology, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain |
| |
| Abstract: | The involvement of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is well established in human breast cancer, however, in canine mammary tumours (CMT), including inflammatory mammary carcinomas (IMC), still needs to be clarified. Enzyme immune assay techniques were used for EGFR determinations in tumour tissue from 45 bitches with CMT and in normal mammary glands from eight control dogs. Higher tissue EGFR levels were found in CMT compared with controls (P < 0.05). In malignant CMT, tissue EGFR elevated concentrations were statistically significantly associated with tumour relapse and/or distant metastasis during follow‐up and with reduced disease‐free and overall survival times. The IMC cases had the highest tissue EGFR levels compared with other malignant non‐IMC tumours (P < 0.001). The results support the hypothesis that EGFR levels influence prognosis in malignant CMT, suggesting that EGFR may represent a therapeutic target in cases of high histological aggressiveness and especially in cases of metastatic phenotype and poor prognosis. |
| |
| Keywords: | breast cancer canine mammary tumours enzyme immunoassay epidermal growth factor receptor tissue |
|
|
