TY - JOUR
T1 - Increased serum level of epidermal growth factor receptor in liver cancer patients and its association with exposure to arsenic
AU - Sung, Tzu I.
AU - Wang, Ying Jan
AU - Chen, Chi Yi
AU - Hung, Tsui Lien
AU - Guo, How Ran
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by Grant NSC89-2320-B-006-015 from the National Science Council, Taiwan, R.O.C .
PY - 2012/5/1
Y1 - 2012/5/1
N2 - Arsenic is a human carcinogen and can activate epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in human cell lines. As EGFR is associated with the occurrence of cancers, we conducted a study to evaluate whether serum EGFR may increase in liver cancer patients, particularly in those with exposure to arsenic. We recruited 100 patients of liver cancer and 100 age- and sex-matched controls in Taiwan and determined EGFR levels in sera by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The patients had higher EGFR levels (668.1 vs. 243.1. fmol/mL, p< 0.01), and after adjusting for hepatitis B and C, they still had an average EGFR level 406.1. fmol/mL higher than that of the controls (p< 0.01). When we compared 22 patients residing in an endemic area of arsenic intoxication to 22 age- and sex-matched patients residing outside the area, we found that patients from the endemic area had higher EGFR levels (882.8 vs. 511.6. fmol/mL, p= 0.04). We concluded that EGFR is over-expressed in patients of liver cancer, particularly in those with exposure to arsenic, and therefore, serum EGFR level is not only a potential biomarker of liver cancer, but also a potential biomarker of cancers associated with arsenic exposure.
AB - Arsenic is a human carcinogen and can activate epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in human cell lines. As EGFR is associated with the occurrence of cancers, we conducted a study to evaluate whether serum EGFR may increase in liver cancer patients, particularly in those with exposure to arsenic. We recruited 100 patients of liver cancer and 100 age- and sex-matched controls in Taiwan and determined EGFR levels in sera by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The patients had higher EGFR levels (668.1 vs. 243.1. fmol/mL, p< 0.01), and after adjusting for hepatitis B and C, they still had an average EGFR level 406.1. fmol/mL higher than that of the controls (p< 0.01). When we compared 22 patients residing in an endemic area of arsenic intoxication to 22 age- and sex-matched patients residing outside the area, we found that patients from the endemic area had higher EGFR levels (882.8 vs. 511.6. fmol/mL, p= 0.04). We concluded that EGFR is over-expressed in patients of liver cancer, particularly in those with exposure to arsenic, and therefore, serum EGFR level is not only a potential biomarker of liver cancer, but also a potential biomarker of cancers associated with arsenic exposure.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.02.079
DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.02.079
M3 - Article
C2 - 22446113
AN - SCOPUS:84862820479
SN - 0048-9697
VL - 424
SP - 74
EP - 78
JO - Science of the Total Environment
JF - Science of the Total Environment
ER -
