title: Expression of p21WAF1 predicts outcome of esophageal cancer patients treated by surgery alone or by combined therapy modalities.
abstract: The p21WAF1 protein is an important regulator of the cell cycle. Its expression and prognostic significance were investigated immunohistochemically in samples of normal esophageal squamous epithelium (n = 10), severe squamous cell dysplasia (n = 20), carcinoma in situ (n = 14), permanent esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines (n = 3), and invasive squamous cell carcinomas treated either by potentially curative resection (n = 172) or by combined modality therapy (radiochemotherapy +/- surgery; n = 38). Whereas p21WAF1 expression in the normal epithelium was restricted to a few cells adjacent to the basal cell layer, p21WAF1 overexpression was frequently found in preneoplasias and invasive carcinomas. Expression of p21WAF1 in invasive carcinomas was not correlated with tumor differentiation, pT category, or pN category. Among carcinomas treated by potential curative resection, univariate (P = 0.0025) and multivariate (P = 0.0081) survival analysis showed significant correlation of strong p21WAF1 expression (> or =50% p21WAF1-positive tumor cells) with poor overall survival. Univariate survival analysis (P = 0.0006) revealed the same prognostic influence in the group of patients treated by combined modality therapy. We conclude that overexpression of p21WAF1 protein is a frequent event in preneoplasias and neoplasias of the esophagus. Immunohistochemical examination of p21WAF1 expression may provide important prognostic information for decision-making in the treatment of patients with esophageal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Heinrich Heine Universität, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarbia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stahl
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: zur Hausen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Fink
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heep
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dutkowski
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Willers
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seeber
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Gabbert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D004947:Esophagus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins