Immunohistochemical Study of Estradiol, Epidermal Growth Factor, Transforming Growth Factor Alpha and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor in Endometrial Neoplasia

In a total of 113 cases of endometrial neoplasm, we studiedthe immunohistochemical expression of estradiol (E2), epidermalgrowth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor alpha (TGF),and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Positive immunoreactivityof E2 was found in 61% of the neoplasms. E2 immunoreactivitycorrelated well with high histologic grade and early clinicalstage. Positive immunoreactivity for ECF or ECFR was found in25.6% or 53.1% of the neoplasms, respectively. However, thiswas unrelated to histologic grade or clinical stage. On theother hand, TGF immunoreactivity was found in 67% of endometrialneoplasias and was correlated with poor histologic grade andadvanced stage. Contingency tables indicated a significant negativeassociation between the status of E2 and that of TGF. Simultaneousexpression of E2, EGF and EGFR, or E2, TGF and EGFR was foundin 6.8% and 15.9% of endometrial carcinomas, respectively. Theseresults suggest that a predominant number of endometrial carcinomasescape autocrine/paracrine growth regulation by EGF and E2 orTGF and E2, and that TGF may be involved in the progressionof endometrial carcinoma.