Prognostic value of epidermal growth factor receptor expression in patients with advanced stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy

A retrospective study was performed to correlate the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) with treatment outcome in advanced stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The study population comprised 54 of 92 patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer Stage III-IV NPC with sufficient pretreatment tumor biopsy specimens for study. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to evaluate the extent and intensity of EGFR expression. All patients were treated by induction chemotherapy with two to three cycles of cisplatin 60 mg/m 2 and epirubicin 110 mg/m 2 every 3 weeks followed by radiotherapy. The median follow-up time was 52 months for all patients and 99 months for surviving patients. EGFR expression was present in 89% of cases. EGFR intensity was negative in 11%, weak in 43%, moderate in 13%, and strong in 33%. The EGFR extent was