c‐crbB2 gene amplification and protein expression in ovarian epithelial tumors: Evaluation of their respective prognostic significance by multivariate analysis

c‐erbB2 gene amplification or over‐expression has been reported in ovarian cancer, but their prognostic value remains conflicting. To investigate the respective prognostic significance of c‐erbB2 gene amplification and protein over‐expression, tumor samples were obtained from 65 patients with ovarian adenocarcinoma (9 FIGO stage I, 7 stage ll, 38 stage III and 11 stage IV) followed up for a median period of 71 months. c‐erbB2 gene amplification (>2.5 a.u.) was detected in 9/65 (14%) adenocarcinomas and in none of 5 benign and 8 borderline ovarian epithelial tumors also analyzed. Specimens from 52 of the 65 adenocarcinomas were available for immunohistochemi‐cal analysis. c‐erbB2 protein expression was observed in 23/52 (44%) adenocarcinomas. No correlation was found between c‐erbB2 gene copy number and protein expression. There was no correlation of c‐erbB2 gene copy number or protein expression with any of the clinico‐pathological factors analyzed (i.e., GIGO stage, histological type, histological grade and residual tumor). On univariate analysis, c‐erbB2 gene amplification was associated with poorer survival (p = 0.04). However, in the multivariate analysis of clinico‐pathological factors and c‐erbB2 gene copy number, c‐erbB2 gene amplification did not retain any independent prognostic significance (p = 0.19). No significant survival difference was found between patients with and without c‐erbB2 protein over‐expression in univariate or multivariate analyses. Therefore, neither c‐erbB2 gene amplification nor c‐erbB2 protein over‐expression appears to be a significant prognostic marker in patients with ovarian carcinoma. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.