Prognostic impact of P53, EGFR and HER2/Neu proteins on renal cell carcinoma

The expression of p53, HER2/neu and EGFR in renal cell carcinoma was studied using immunohistochemical methods in paraffin-embedded nephrectomy specimens from 40 patients. Expression of p53, EGFR and HER2/neu was observed in 22 (55%), 33 (82.5%) and 10 (25%) patients respectively. In the Cox regression analysis overall expression of p53 was not statistically significant with a p value of 0.5 for total expression, 0.6 for weak expression and 0.2 for strong p53 expression. The HER2 positivity was also not statistically significant with a p value of 0.2 and a hazard ratio of 0.4. Similar results were obtained for EGFR overexpression with a p value of 0.591 for overall positivity, 0.3 for weak staining and 0.56 for strong staining. Our results indicate that p53, EGFR and HER2/neu proteins may play a role in determining the prognosis in RCC. However the results were insignificant and a greater patient cohort is required before any true conclusions can be made.