Introduction/Background ErbB receptors are trans-membrane glycoproteins with tyrosine kinase activity. Especially in cancer, they are implicated in cell proliferation, transformation, angiogenesis, migration and invasion. The expression of ErbB receptors, has not been studied well in patients with CIN 3 and cervical cancer. The main aim of our study was to investigate the role of ErbB receptors status among young patients with CIN 3 and cervical cancer.

Methodology We evaluated retrospectively tissue specimens from 75 patients with CIN 3 and cervical cancer, that have been treated in the Division of Gynaecological Oncology of the University of Patras. For ErbB receptors immunostaining, we used: anti-EGFR polyclonal antibody sc-03 (Santa Cruz Biotechnology Inc., Santa Cruz, CA, USA) in a dilution 1:20, anti-ErbB-2 monoclonal antibody CB11 (BioGenex Laboratories Inc., San Ramon, CA, USA) in a dilution 1:100, anti-ErbB-3 polyclonal antibody sc-285 (Santa Cruz Biotechnology Inc., Santa Cruz, CA, USA) in a dilution 1:100 and anti-ErbB-4 polyclonal antibody sc-283 (Santa Cruz Biotechnology Inc., Santa Cruz, CA, USA) in a dilution 1:200.

Results For ErbB-2 receptor, 8 cases were positive (10.7%) and 67 cases were negative (89.3%). For ErbB-3 receptor, 24 cases were positive (32%) and 51 cases were negative (68%). For ErbB-4 receptor, 37 cases were positive (49.3%) and 38 cases were negative (50.7%).

Moreover, we found a statistically significant correlation between ErbB-2 expression and invasive cervical cancer.

Conclusion All these differences in ErbB receptors status among young patients with CIN 3 and cervical cancer could be possibly attributed to well-known alterations in the clinical behavior of both entities. In this perspective, future studies are needed in order to elucidate the clinical role of ErbB receptors status in patients with CIN 3 and cervical cancer.

Disclosure Nothing to disclose.