Prognostic Impact of <i>EGFR</i> Amplification and Visceral Pleural Invasion in Early Stage Pulmonary Squamous Cell Carcinomas Patients after Surgical Resection of Primary Tumor

Over the last few decades, an increasing amount of information has been accumulated on biomarkers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite these advances, most biomarkers have been identified in the adenocarcinoma histological subtype (AC). However, the application of molecular-targeted therap...

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Main Authors: Luís Miguel Chinchilla-Tábora, José María Sayagués, Idalia González-Morais, Marta Rodríguez, María Dolores Ludeña
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-04-01
Series:Cancers
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/14/9/2174
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author Luís Miguel Chinchilla-Tábora
José María Sayagués
Idalia González-Morais
Marta Rodríguez
María Dolores Ludeña
author_facet Luís Miguel Chinchilla-Tábora
José María Sayagués
Idalia González-Morais
Marta Rodríguez
María Dolores Ludeña
author_sort Luís Miguel Chinchilla-Tábora
collection DOAJ
description Over the last few decades, an increasing amount of information has been accumulated on biomarkers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite these advances, most biomarkers have been identified in the adenocarcinoma histological subtype (AC). However, the application of molecular-targeted therapies in the prognosis and treatment of SCC in the clinical setting is very limited, becoming one of the main focus areas in research. Here, we prospectively analyzed the frequency of numerical/structural abnormalities of chromosomes 5, 7, 8, 9, 13 and 22 with FISH in 48 pulmonary SCC patients. From a total of 12 probes, only abnormalities of the 7p12 and 22q12 chromosomal regions were identified as unique genetic variables associated with the prognosis of the disease. The study for these two chromosomal regions was extended to 108 patients with SCC. Overall, chromosome losses were observed more frequently than chromosome gains, i.e., 61% versus 19% of all the chromosome abnormalities detected. The highest levels of genetic amplification were detected for the 5p15.2, 7p12, 8q24 and 22q11 chromosome bands, of which several genes are potentially involved in the pathogenesis of SCC, among others, include the <i>EGFR</i> gene at chromosome 7p12. Patients who displayed <i>EGFR</i> amplification (n = 13; 12%) were mostly older than 65 years (<i>p</i> = 0.07) and exclusively patients in early T-primary tumor stage (pT1–pT2; <i>p</i> = 0.03) with a significantly shortened overall survival (OS) (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.001). Regarding prognosis, the clinical, biological, and histopathologic characteristics of the disease that displayed a significant adverse influence on OS in the univariate analysis included patients older than 65 years (<i>p</i> = 0.02), the presence of lymph node involvement (<i>p</i> = 0.005), metastasis (<i>p</i> = 0.01) and, visceral pleural invasion (VPI) at diagnosis (<i>p</i> = 0.04). EGFR amplification also conferred an adverse impact on patient OS in the whole series (<i>p</i> = 0.02) and especially in patients in early stages (pT1–pT2; <i>p</i> = 0.01). A multivariate analysis of the prognostic factors for OS showed that the most informative combination of independent variables to predict an adverse outcome was the presence of VPI and/or <i>EGFR</i> amplification (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Based on these two variables, a scoring system was built to stratify patients into low- (no adverse features: score 0; n = 69), intermediate- (one adverse feature: score 1; n = 29) and high-risk (two adverse features: score 2; n = 5) groups, with significantly different (<i>p</i> = 0.001) OS rates at 50 months, which were as following: 32%, 28% and 0%, respectively. In the present study, we show that the presence of a high level of 7p12 (<i>EGFR)</i> amplification, exclusively detected in early stage SCC (pT1–pT2), is an independent adverse prognostic factor for OS. The identification of the <i>EGFR</i> gene copy number using FISH techniques may provide a more accurate diagnosis of high-risk populations after the complete resection of the primary tumor. When combined with VPI, three groups of pulmonary SCC were clearly identified that show the extent of the disease. This is of such importance that further prospective studies are necessary in larger series of SCC patients to be classified at the time of diagnosis. This could be achieved with the combined assessment of 7p12 amplification and VPI in primary tumor samples.
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spelling doaj.art-e61df57a2885483099d24107faf0d66b2023-11-23T07:55:55ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942022-04-01149217410.3390/cancers14092174Prognostic Impact of <i>EGFR</i> Amplification and Visceral Pleural Invasion in Early Stage Pulmonary Squamous Cell Carcinomas Patients after Surgical Resection of Primary TumorLuís Miguel Chinchilla-Tábora0José María Sayagués1Idalia González-Morais2Marta Rodríguez3María Dolores Ludeña4Department of Pathology and IBSAL, University Hospital of Salamanca, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainDepartment of Pathology and IBSAL, University Hospital of Salamanca, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainDepartment of Pathology and IBSAL, University Hospital of Salamanca, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainDepartment of Pathology and IBSAL, University Hospital of Salamanca, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainDepartment of Pathology and IBSAL, University Hospital of Salamanca, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainOver the last few decades, an increasing amount of information has been accumulated on biomarkers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite these advances, most biomarkers have been identified in the adenocarcinoma histological subtype (AC). However, the application of molecular-targeted therapies in the prognosis and treatment of SCC in the clinical setting is very limited, becoming one of the main focus areas in research. Here, we prospectively analyzed the frequency of numerical/structural abnormalities of chromosomes 5, 7, 8, 9, 13 and 22 with FISH in 48 pulmonary SCC patients. From a total of 12 probes, only abnormalities of the 7p12 and 22q12 chromosomal regions were identified as unique genetic variables associated with the prognosis of the disease. The study for these two chromosomal regions was extended to 108 patients with SCC. Overall, chromosome losses were observed more frequently than chromosome gains, i.e., 61% versus 19% of all the chromosome abnormalities detected. The highest levels of genetic amplification were detected for the 5p15.2, 7p12, 8q24 and 22q11 chromosome bands, of which several genes are potentially involved in the pathogenesis of SCC, among others, include the <i>EGFR</i> gene at chromosome 7p12. Patients who displayed <i>EGFR</i> amplification (n = 13; 12%) were mostly older than 65 years (<i>p</i> = 0.07) and exclusively patients in early T-primary tumor stage (pT1–pT2; <i>p</i> = 0.03) with a significantly shortened overall survival (OS) (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.001). Regarding prognosis, the clinical, biological, and histopathologic characteristics of the disease that displayed a significant adverse influence on OS in the univariate analysis included patients older than 65 years (<i>p</i> = 0.02), the presence of lymph node involvement (<i>p</i> = 0.005), metastasis (<i>p</i> = 0.01) and, visceral pleural invasion (VPI) at diagnosis (<i>p</i> = 0.04). EGFR amplification also conferred an adverse impact on patient OS in the whole series (<i>p</i> = 0.02) and especially in patients in early stages (pT1–pT2; <i>p</i> = 0.01). A multivariate analysis of the prognostic factors for OS showed that the most informative combination of independent variables to predict an adverse outcome was the presence of VPI and/or <i>EGFR</i> amplification (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Based on these two variables, a scoring system was built to stratify patients into low- (no adverse features: score 0; n = 69), intermediate- (one adverse feature: score 1; n = 29) and high-risk (two adverse features: score 2; n = 5) groups, with significantly different (<i>p</i> = 0.001) OS rates at 50 months, which were as following: 32%, 28% and 0%, respectively. In the present study, we show that the presence of a high level of 7p12 (<i>EGFR)</i> amplification, exclusively detected in early stage SCC (pT1–pT2), is an independent adverse prognostic factor for OS. The identification of the <i>EGFR</i> gene copy number using FISH techniques may provide a more accurate diagnosis of high-risk populations after the complete resection of the primary tumor. When combined with VPI, three groups of pulmonary SCC were clearly identified that show the extent of the disease. This is of such importance that further prospective studies are necessary in larger series of SCC patients to be classified at the time of diagnosis. This could be achieved with the combined assessment of 7p12 amplification and VPI in primary tumor samples.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/14/9/2174squamous cell lung carcinoma<i>EGFR</i> amplificationearly stageprognosis
spellingShingle Luís Miguel Chinchilla-Tábora
José María Sayagués
Idalia González-Morais
Marta Rodríguez
María Dolores Ludeña
Prognostic Impact of <i>EGFR</i> Amplification and Visceral Pleural Invasion in Early Stage Pulmonary Squamous Cell Carcinomas Patients after Surgical Resection of Primary Tumor
Cancers
squamous cell lung carcinoma
<i>EGFR</i> amplification
early stage
prognosis
title Prognostic Impact of <i>EGFR</i> Amplification and Visceral Pleural Invasion in Early Stage Pulmonary Squamous Cell Carcinomas Patients after Surgical Resection of Primary Tumor
title_full Prognostic Impact of <i>EGFR</i> Amplification and Visceral Pleural Invasion in Early Stage Pulmonary Squamous Cell Carcinomas Patients after Surgical Resection of Primary Tumor
title_fullStr Prognostic Impact of <i>EGFR</i> Amplification and Visceral Pleural Invasion in Early Stage Pulmonary Squamous Cell Carcinomas Patients after Surgical Resection of Primary Tumor
title_full_unstemmed Prognostic Impact of <i>EGFR</i> Amplification and Visceral Pleural Invasion in Early Stage Pulmonary Squamous Cell Carcinomas Patients after Surgical Resection of Primary Tumor
title_short Prognostic Impact of <i>EGFR</i> Amplification and Visceral Pleural Invasion in Early Stage Pulmonary Squamous Cell Carcinomas Patients after Surgical Resection of Primary Tumor
title_sort prognostic impact of i egfr i amplification and visceral pleural invasion in early stage pulmonary squamous cell carcinomas patients after surgical resection of primary tumor
topic squamous cell lung carcinoma
<i>EGFR</i> amplification
early stage
prognosis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/14/9/2174
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