[Studies on biological characteristics of undifferentiated carcinoma of the esophagus].
To study the biological characteristics of undifferentiated carcinoma of the esophagus, the nuclear DNA content, the growth fraction using monoclonal antibody Ki-67 (Ki-67), immunohistochemical expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the grade of Leu-7 positive cells infiltrating at the marginal area of the cancerous tissue were measured in 5 cases of undifferentiated carcinoma and 131 cases of squamous cell carcinoma. The following results were obtained. 1) DNA aneuploid was found in 60% of undifferentiated carcinoma, 47% of squamous cell carcinoma. 2) The Ki-67 labeling rates of undifferentiated carcinoma were higher than those of squamous cell carcinoma, and a variable proportion of Ki-67 labeling rates of undifferentiated carcinoma was ranging from 12% to 34%. It was demonstrated that undifferentiated carcinoma had high proliferative potential. 3) The expression of the EGFR was stained in the basal cell and parabasal layers of normal epithelia. In squamous cell carcinoma, EGFR was located on the cancer cell membrane and was observed 79%, while in all cases of undifferentiated carcinoma, it was not detected. 4) The grade of Leu-7 positive cells was related to pathological stage and prognosis in squamous cell carcinoma. The patients with low grade of Leu-7 positive cells frequently had early recurrences of the carcinoma after esophagectomy, and their prognosis was poorer than those with higher grade of Leu-7 positive cells. The patients of undifferentiated carcinoma, independently of pathological stage, were observed low grade of Leu-7 positive cells and had poor prognosis except only one case. Therefore undifferentiated carcinoma seems to be escaped from defensive mechanism of host immune response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Shima
I
I
First Department of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan.
Tomita
Y
Y
Tou
Y
Y
Rikitake
H
H
Shirouzu
G
G
Yamana
H
H
Fujita
H
H
Kakegawa
T
T
Irie
K
K
Morimatsu
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000378:metabolism; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D018959:CD57 Antigens; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D018959:CD57 Antigens; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D066246:ErbB Receptors