AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF THE INCIDENCE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF C-ERBB-2 ONCOPROTEIN OVEREXPRESSION IN OVARIAN NEOPLASIA

An immunohistochemical study was made of overexpression of the c-erbB-2 oncogene product in benign, borderline and malignant epithelial neoplasms of the ovary. Positive staining was found only in 2 of 15 mucinous tumors of borderline malignancy and in 11 of 16 mucinous adenocarcinomas. Positive staining was not detected in serous or endometrioid tumors. Amongst the group of mucinous adenocarcinomas, no correlation could be found between overexpression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein and tumor stage, tumor differentiation or patient survival. It is concluded that overexpression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein is not an adverse prognostic factor in ovarian adenocarcinoma.