[Epidermal growth factor receptors and their ligands in endometrial carcinoma: correlation with clinico-morphologic factors and steroid receptors].

Epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) were identified in the membrane fraction of tumor in 21 out of 58 (36%) endometrial cancer patients. EGFR ligands--EGF-like peptides--were found in tumor cytosols in 36% of patients. However, EGFR and EGF-like peptides were observed in 7% of tumors only; there were no receptors or ligands in 39% of patients. Both EGFR and steroid receptors were expressed in 20 tumor patients. The frequency of EGFR expression in endometrial carcinomas was practically identical to that of normal endometrium at the proliferative stage of menstrual cycle and half that of hyperplastic endometrium. Postmenopausal patients tended to show a decrease in hormonal sensitivity of carcinoma and EGFR expression frequency rate and a lower degree of endometrial carcinoma cell differentiation. Also, a significant rise in the EGFR expression frequency and mean concentration was found in conjunction with a deeper invasion of tumor into the myometrium.