Clinical significance and prognostic value of apoptosis related proteins in superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of the present study was to examine the expression of cell cycle regulators [p53, p21WAF1/CIP1 (p21), and Rb] and apoptosis related proteins Bax and Bcl-X(L) and to evaluate the relationship between their expressions and clinicopathological findings in patients with superficial squamous cell carcinomas of the esophagus.


METHODS
We immunohistochemically investigated the expression of p53, p21, Rb, Bax, and Bcl-X(L) in 79 patients with superficial esophageal carcinoma.


RESULTS
p21 overexpression was found in mucosal carcinoma (P = 0.05) and a high Bcl-X(L) score was observed for submucosal carcinoma (P = 0.03). The patients with high Bcl-X(L) score had more frequent lymphatic invasion and lymph node metastasis than did those with low Bcl-X(L) score (P < 0.05). Univariate analysis revealed significantly shorter survival in patients with high Bcl-X(L) expression than in those with low Bcl-X(L) expression, but Bcl-X(L) expression was not identified as an independent prognostic factor by multivariate analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Because Bcl-X(L) expression correlated well with depth of tumor invasion, lymphatic invasion, and lymph node metastasis, examination of Bcl-X(L) expression will help to estimate the properties in superficial squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.
Matsumoto
M
M
The First Department of Surgery, Kagoshima University School of Medicine, Japan.
Natsugoe
S
S
Nakashima
S
S
Okumura
H
H
Sakita
H
H
Baba
M
M
Takao
S
S
Aikou
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins / Q000032:analysis; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011379:Prognosis; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000032:analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein
C494826:BAX protein, human; C494811:BCL2L1 protein, human; C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein