IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL EXPRESSION OF ERBB FAMILY IN VULVAR CANCER

• Grant number: 15/24718-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: April 01, 2016
• End date: March 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Pathological Anatomy and Clinical Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Glauco Baiocchi Neto
• Grantee: Glauco Baiocchi Neto
• Host Institution: A C Camargo Cancer Center. Fundação Antonio Prudente (FAP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Isabela Werneck da Cunha ; Louise de Brot Andrade

Abstract

Introduction: Vulvar cancer is a rare disease and accounts for 3-5% of all gynecological malignancies. The prognosis is related to lymph node involvement and stage. Surgery is the treatment cornerstone and includes primary tumor resection and inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy. Despite on clinical and pathological prognostic factors already described, some molecular markers are scarce. The identification of molecular marker may contribute to better understand the disease and development of new treatment strategies. In this scenario, studies regarding family ERBB are scarce.Objectives: 1- Evaluate immunohistochemical expression of ERBB family receptors in vulvar squamous cell carcinoma; 2- Evaluate ERBB family expression as a prognostic factor; 3- Correlate ERBB family expression with clinical and pathological variables.Methods: The retrospective analysis will include 234 patients with vulvar cancer treated in Department of Gynecologic Oncology from January 1980 to February 2010. Of these, 107 patients had inguinal lymph node metastasis. Clinical and pathological characteristics will be analyzed and ERBB expression will be evaluated in primary tumor and lymph node metastasis.Expected results: The identification of molecular markers in vulvar cancer (primary tumor and metastatic lymph node) may contribute to better understand the disease biology and further development of new treatment strategies with target drugs. (AU)