Overexpression of EGFR as an independent prognostic factor in adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction

Abstract

Background: Adenocarcinoma of the esophago - gastric junction (AEG) has increased in Western and Eastern countries, and its prognosis remains poor. We tested whether epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), that is overexpressed in various tumors, acts as a cancer-promoting gene through overexpression in AEG. Materials and Methods: We analyzed 104 primary AEG tumors which were curatively resected in our hospital between 2000 and 2010. Results: Overexpression of EGFR protein was detected in 47% primary AEG tumor samples, and significantly associated with venous and lymphatic invasion, tumor depth and lymph node metastasis. The high-expression group had a significantly poorer prognosis than the low expression group for overall and disease-free survival. EGFR positivity was independently associated with a worse outcome in the multivariate analysis (p=0.0397, hazard ratio(HR)=2.048). Conclusion: EGFR plays a pivotal role in AEG through its overexpression, which highlights its usefulness as a prognosticator and potential therapeutic target in AEG.