- To examine the distribution of selected biomarkers that may include but are not limited to EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor, total and phosphorylated), E-cadherin, pMAPK (phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase), pAKT, Stat-3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3), Ki-67, COX-2 (cyclooxygenase 2), and cyclin B1 (G2/mitotic-specific cyclin-B1)expression in this group of patients and to explore the potential correlation between these markers with the ultimate treatment outcome