Purpose: Investigate ErbB family expression in colorectal cancer patients with higher risk of recurrence after surgical treatment.
Methods: We studied 109 individuals with high risk stage II and stage III patients submitted to radical surgery. ErbB expression was assessed by tissue microarray technique.
Results: The immunohistochemical expression was considered positive for EGFR, ErbB2, ErbB3, ErbB4 membrane, and ErbB4 cytoplasmic in respectively 57.8%, 8.3%, 69.7%, 11%, and 19.3% of patients. ErbB3 negative expression was associated with lymphovascular invasion. EGFR, ErbB2, and cytoplasmic ErbB4 expression was not associated with prognosis. Membranous positive ErbB4 expression was an independent prognostic factor for recurrence. ErbB3 negative expression was an independent prognostic factor for recurrence and survival in the multivariate analysis.
Conclusions: The immunohistochemical expression of ErbB3 and ErbB4 may identify a subgroup with stage II and III colorectal cancer at higher risk of recurrence.