Immunohistochemical detection of the epidermal growth factor receptor in paraffin-embedded human tissues.

Expression of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumour tissues employing two antibodies raised to short synthetic peptides from the cytoplasmic domain of the molecule. Both antibodies gave concordant staining of a series of bladder cancers known to express or lack EGF receptors. There was no cross-reaction with the related c-erbB-2 protein, which was also over-expressed in some cases. Cancers with EGF receptor expression also expressed high levels of TGF-alpha, a receptor agonist.