Background: Meningiomas are the most common type of intracranial tumors of central nervous system and account for approximately 36% of all primary tumors of CNS. According to the WHO grading system and histological studies it is classified into different grades: grade (I) benign, grade (II) atypical, grade (III) anaplastic or malignant. There are certain mutations and alterations of tumor suppressor genes and chromosomal aberrations leads to the tumor formation and its progression in meningiomas. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays an important role in the regulation of cell division and tumor growth and it’s over expression responsible for the stimulation of angiogenesis, cell survival and metastatic proliferation. EGFR variant III is the most common mutation has been already reported in glioblastoma but not yet reported in meningiomas and other type of tumors.
Methods: The main aim of this study is to determine expression of EGFR variant III in different grades of meningioma using primarily immunohistochemistry and also via other techniques such as FACS (fluorescence activated cell sorting) and western blotting.
Results: Results shows the expression of EGFR variant III is highly expressed in benign meningioma (grade I) as compare to atypical (grade II) meningioma. These results could be considered in large number on cohort as possible diagnostic /prognostic biomarker and somehow influence the treatment.
Conclusion: EGFR expression is greatest in benign meningiomas and may serve a potential target for therapeutic intervention with selective EGFR inhibitors.