The occurrence of epidermal growth factor receptors and the characterization of EGF-like factors in human ovarian, endometrial, cervical and breast cancer. EGF receptors and factors in gynecological carcinomas.

In this study we investigated the presence of epidermal growth factor receptors (EGF-R) and the tissue levels of EGF-like factors (EGF-F) in ovarian, endometrial, cervical and breast carcinomas. EGF-R were found in 33/40 (83%) cervical, 15/26 (58%) endometrial, 64/141 (45%) ovarian, and 19/59 (33%) breast carcinomas. The highest number of EGF-R binding sites was detected in cervical carcinomas followed by endometrial, breast and ovarian carcinomas. The tissue concentrations of EGF-like factors, were investigated in extracts of 63 ovarian, 25 breast, 12 cervical, 14 endometrial carcinomas and in 21 biopsies of nonmalignant tissue such as myometrium and ovaries. The extracts of nonmalignant tissues had a mean EGF-F level of 1.5 +/- 0.7 ng/mg with a concentration range from 0 to 4 ng/mg. The mean EGF-F levels of malignant tissues were: ovarian carcinomas 4.2 +/- 1.5 ng/mg (range 0-15 ng), endometrial carcinomas 4.5 +/- 1.7 ng/mg (range 0-12 ng), cervical carcinomas 4.15 +/- 1.1 ng/mg (range 0-8) and breast carcinomas 3.16 +/- 1.1 ng/mg (range 0-10 ng). About 30% ovarian, endometrial and cervical carcinomas and 16% breast carcinomas, respectively, had enhanced EGF levels from 5 ng/mg to 15 ng/mg compared to nonmalignant tissues. The EGF-F of tissue extracts consists of EGF and transforming growth factor TGF alpha) as shown by the results of EGF and TGF alpha radioimmunoassays. It is assumed that in some tumors the EGF-F tissue levels influence the number of biochemically detectable EGF binding sites.