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Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common type of thyroid malignancy, and it is often observed to overexpress epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Previous research has indicated that EH domain‑containing 1 (EHD1) is associated with EGFR‑mediated endocytotic recycling in multiple tumor types. The objective of the present study was to determine the protein expression levels and clinical significance of EHD1, EGFR, caveolin‑1 (CAV‑1) and RAB11 family interacting protein 3 (RAB11FIP3) in PTC. PTC specimens were analyzed for EHD1, EGFR, CAV‑1 and RAB11FIP3 expression via immunohistochemistry and western blotting. The associations between protein expression and clinicopathological features were assessed. EHD1, EGFR, CAV‑1 and RAB11FIP3 expression levels were increased in human PTC. Additionally, the expression level of EHD1 protein was significantly associated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis and EGFR expression (P<0.05). CAV‑1 was associated with tumor size and EGFR expression (P<0.05). EGFR was only associated with lymph node metastasis (P=0.027) and RAB11FIP3 was not associated with any clinicopathological characteristics. The correlations between EHD1 and EGFR (r=0.564, P<0.05), CAV‑1 (r=0.865, P<0.01) and RAB11FIP3 (r=0.504, P<0.05) were statistically significant. Overall, EHD1, CAV‑1 and RAB11FIP3, which are key proteins in endocytotic recycling, promote PTC tumorigenesis through the regulation of the transport of EGFR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have indicated that caveolin‑1 (Cav‑1) is able to bind the signal transduction factor epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) to regulate its tyrosine kinase activity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical significance of Cav‑1 gene expression in association with the expression of EGFR in patients with breast cancer. Primary breast cancer samples from 306 patients were analyzed for Cav‑1 and EGFR expression using immunohistochemistry, and clinical significance was assessed using multivariate Cox regression analysis, Kaplan‑Meier estimator curves and the log‑rank test. Stromal Cav‑1 was downregulated in 38.56% (118/306) of tumor tissues, whereas cytoplasmic EGFR and Cav‑1 were overexpressed in 53.92% (165/306) and 44.12% (135/306) of breast cancer tissues, respectively. EGFR expression was positively associated with cytoplasmic Cav‑1 and not associated with stromal Cav‑1 expression in breast cancer samples; however, low expression of stromal Cav‑1 was negatively associated with cytoplasmic Cav‑1 expression in total tumor tissues, and analogous results were identified in the chemotherapy group. Multivariate Cox's proportional hazards model analysis revealed that, for patients in the estrogen receptor (ER)(+) group, the expression of stromal Cav‑1 alone was a significant prognostic marker of breast cancer. However, in the chemotherapy, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER‑2)(‑), HER‑2(+) and ER(‑) groups, the use of combined markers was more effective prognostic marker. Stromal Cav‑1 has a tumor suppressor function, and the combined marker stromal Cav‑1/EGFR expression was identified as an improved prognostic marker in the diagnosis of breast cancer. Parenchymal expression of Cav‑1 is able to promote EGFR signaling in breast cancer, potentially being required for EGFR‑mediated initiation of mitosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]