Expression of C-erbB-2 oncoprotein in gastric carcinoma. Immunoreactivity for C-erbB-2 protein is an independent indicator of poor short-term prognosis in patients with gastric carcinoma

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Abstract
Correlations of c‐erbB‐2 protein expression with clinical outcomes of gastric carcinomas were studied in 189 gastric carcinomas. There were 23 (12.2%) carcinomas with evidence of c‐erbB‐2 protein in which the reaction was localized to the cell membrane. There was no significant association between c‐erbB‐2 staining and the macroscopic or histologic type of the carcinomas. c‐erbB‐2‐stained tumors were more likely to be associated with serosal invasion, nodal involvement, and peritoneal metastasis, than c‐erbB‐2‐unstained ones. In addition, c‐erbB‐2 was stained in none of early gastric carcinomas. The 5‐year survival rates of the c‐erbB‐2 protein‐positive and the protein‐negative group were 11% and 50%, respectively. When the c‐erbB‐2 tissue status and seven clinicopathologic variables as conventional prognostic factors were entered simultaneously into the Cox regression model, serosal invasion, hepatic metastasis, peritoneal metastasis, nodal status, and c‐erbB‐2 tissue status emerged as independent prognostic variables. The results suggested that c‐erbB‐2 protein expression might be enhanced in advanced stages during the progression of gastric carcinoma. In this particular group of patients, immunoreactivity for c‐erbB‐2 protein is an indicator of poor short‐term prognosis.