Background/aim: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) acts as an oncogene in malignancies. Our aim was to examine the role of combined EGFR/ anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) expression as molecular markers in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) patients.
Materials and methods: Fifty (n=50) tissue sections derived from twenty-five (n=25) primary LSCCs were analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC).
Results: EGFR overexpression was observed in 17/25 (68%) cases. Concerning ALK, 23/25 (92%) demonstrated low expression. EGFR expression was associated with grade (p=0.049), whereas ALK expression was correlated with stage (p=0.048). ALK overexpression was detected at advanced-stage EGFR-positive cases. A biphasic EGFR protein expression pattern was observed in five (n=5) LSCC cases, whereas ALK expression was stable in all cases.
Conclusion: EGFR overexpression is frequently observed in LSCC combined with low ALK expression. LSCC patients with EGFR/ALK protein overexpression should be eligible for targeted therapeutic strategies.
Keywords: ALK; Carcinoma; EGFR; larynx.
Copyright© 2019, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.