Abstract
Objectives : to determine the Epidermal growth factor receptor
(EGFR) over-expression in laryngeal carcinoma primary tumor and in first
echelon node in N0 neck.
Design: A Cross sectional retrospective study.
Participants: Twenty five patients.
Main outcome measures: EGFR expression is linked to early
neoplastic transformation, cellular proliferation, and the metastatic
process in laryngeal cancer. Twenty paraffin preserved primary laryngeal
squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) and their cervical lymph nodes stained
with hematoxylin & eosin and EGFR using immunohistochemical technique
with scoring system.
Results: EGFR expression in occult metastasis was associated
with higher T stage (p=<0.001) and higher tumor grade
(p=0.001). EGFR expression in occult metastasis was correlated with
primary LSCC cartilage invasion (p=0.05), lymphovascular invasion
(p=0.028) & muscle invasion (p=0.05). Laryngeal expression of EGFR and
cervical lymph node metastasis as evidenced by EGFR immunohistochemical
staining (p=0.001).
Conclusion: EGFR immunohistopathological analysis of the lymph
nodes and the primary tumour is a highly valuable tool for the detection
of the cervical metastatic status and the N stage.