A Comparison of KGF Receptor Expression in Various Types of Human Cancer

Abstract

Background: Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) has been observed to produce a rapid increase in the motility of breast cancer cells. KGF/KGFR (KGF receptor) signaling has also been demonstrated in the progression of many types of human cancer. The objective of the present study was to compare KGFR expression in various types of cancer. Materials and Methods: A cancer profiling array containing cDNA from 154 tumor and paired normal samples representing 19 types of human cancer was employed. Results: The results of the present study indicate that KGFR expression is enhanced in many types of human carcinomas at an early stage of cancer development, suggesting that KGFR overexpression may be an early signal in the progression of these cancers. However, the stage of cancer progression and relative level of expression varied considerably among the various types of cancer. Conclusion: These findings suggest that tumor KGFR levels may serve as a prognostic biomarker for cancer staging and/or treatment.