Epidermal growth factor receptor content in human renal cell carcinomas

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Abstract
Background. The expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mRNA has been demonstrated in human renal cell carcinomas (RCC), but few reports quantitate EGFR in RCC and correlate EGFR content with clinicopathologic findings. Methods. Using 125I-EGF as a ligand, the maximum binding of EGF in membrane preparations from RCC (EGFR content) was studied by Scatchard analysis. Results. A single class of binding sites for EGF was observed in 74% of RCC and 50% of normal renal tissues. The EGFR content was increased significantly in RCC compared with normal tissues. In all cases in which EGFR was undetectable, there was no evidence of distant metastasis, venous invasion, or regional lymph node involvement, and these patients had a better clinical outcome than patients with detectable EGFR. The EGFR content was significantly lower in nuclear Grade 1 tumors than in tumors of higher nuclear grades. No significant difference between EGFR content and other clinicopathologic findings was detected. Conclusion. The determination of EGFR content in RCC may become an important prognostic factor for the biologic behavior of RCC.