Prognostic value of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) amplification status assessed by fish in patients with Glioblastoma: A retrospective study

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary
malignant brain tumour in adults with a median survival of about 1
year.Amplification of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)
gene is found in 30 to 50% of GBM. So far no clear influence of EGFR
amplification status on prognosis has been shown. The objective of
this multicentre retrospective study was to assess the prognostic value
of EGFR gene amplification on overall survival in GBM patients.
Methods: 72 patients with newly diagnosed GBM were included
between January 2003 and December 2005. Histological diagnosis
was made by the same neuropathologist according to the WHO
criteria. EGFR gene amplification status for all tumours was
assessed with fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH).
Results: Themedian age of the patients was 64 years (range: 23-84),
51% of men and 49% of women. The prognostic relevance of age at
diagnosis on survival was shown in this study: younger glioblastoma
patients ((pwhereas 51% showed no amplification. 10% of the GBMs showed an
increased EGFR gene copy number with aneusomy of chromosome-
7.There was no statistical significant difference in survival between
EGFR gene amplified and non-amplified tumours (p=0.293).
Conclusion: The results of our study show that the EGFR gene
amplification status has no significant prognostic value in GBM
patients.As expected younger patients have a better prognosis than
older patients.