There are numerous growing evidences of resemblance between carcinomas of the breast and prostate. A total of 48 cases of these two hormone-dependent cancers along with approprlats controls were subjected for status of epidermal growth factor receptors as well as serum lipid profile. Paraffin embedded tissue sections from afonmald tumum were analysed by immunohistochemical stuining for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R), c-erbB-2 oncoprotsin, nslxogen mcapt~ (ER) and Wogestmmne receptor (PgR). Sere from same individuals were studied for serum lipid profile analysis. The study revealed that immunoexpression of all receptor proteins (EGF-R). c-erbB-2 was significantly higher in breast carcinoma. In addition, mean levels of triglyc~Ntdas, total cholesterol, LDL-cholestsrol were found to be significantly elevated while the level of HDL-cholesterol was observed to be lower among patients with breast cancer as compared to matched oonlxols. Further, ER-posilive breast cancar cases have significant~ higher mean level of HDL-cholasterol when compared with ER-negative breast cancer patients. Contrary to this, no alteration in different serum lipid fractions was noticed among the patients with prostate cancer. However, a positive relationship was noticed between immunoexpressions of EGF-R and c-erbB-2 in prostate cancer.KEY WORDS : EGF-R, c-err6-2, lipids, breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Serum levels of various lipid pammetms, i.e., triglycaddes, total cholesterol, alpha lipoprotein or high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and beta lipoprotoin or low density lipoprotein (LDL),cholestmol ware measured in a total of 138 histologically proven cases of breast cancer along with 146 control women. The mean levels of serum tdglycacides, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol ware found to be signmcantly higher in breast cancer cases as compared to controls. However, lower mean levels of serum HOL.cholestorol and sex-hormone binding glubulin (SHBG) were observed in breast cancer patients than the control subjects. The results indicats a probable relation between serum lipids and the activity of sex-hormones. Moreover, the study reflects an overall disturbance of lipid metabolism in the pathological process of breast cancer.KEY WORD8 : Serum lipids, related proteins and female breast canoer.

Tissues from 40 cases each of premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer were studied immunohistochemically for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF‐R) and c‐erbB‐2 oncoprotein. In the premenopausal group, immunopositivity for c‐erbB‐2 was 15% and for EGF‐R 22.5%, whereas in the postmenopausal group, 45% of cases were positive for c‐erbB‐2 and 42.5% for EGF‐R. The difference in immunoexpression of c‐erbB‐2 between the two groups was significant. A significant correlation was observed between the concomitant expression of c‐erbB‐2 as well as EGF‐R and lymph node involvement. Furthermore, an association was found between c‐erbB‐2 positivity and histological grading of the tumour. It is interesting that the pattern of the investigated parameters indicates the difference in the pathological events of pre‐ and postmenopausal breast cancer.