title: Prognostic significance of serum thymidine phosphorylase concentration in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase), which also is referred to as platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor, is a potent inducer of angiogenesis in malignant tumors. Increased dThdPase expression and activity have been found to be associated with poor prognosis in various solid tumor tissues. Because very little was known about the significance of serum dThdPase concentration (S-dThdPase), the objective of this study was to analyze the clinicopathologic significance of S-dThdPase in the patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The S-dThdPase was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 77 healthy controls and 153 patients with primary esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. A total of 80 patients underwent surgery alone; 46 patients received chemoradiotherapy alone; 17 patients received chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery; and 10 patients did not receive any treatment. Thymidine phosphorylase expression in esophageal carcinoma tissues was examined by immunohistochemistry. The clinicopathologic value and prognostic value of S-dThdPase was determined in 80 patients treated by surgery alone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The S-dThdPase is significantly higher in patients with esophageal carcinoma than in healthy controls (30.8 +/- 31.8 ng/mL vs. 13.8 +/- 7.6 ng/mL; P < 0.001). Statistically significant differences in S-dThdPases were observed depending on tumor size (P < 0.01) and tumor depth (P < 0.01). A S-dThdPase of more than 29.0 ng/mL (which represented the mean plus 2 standard deviation of the concentration in healthy controls) was associated with dThdPase expression (P = 0.022), poor response (P = 0.022), and poor survival (P < 0.01). Because S-dThdPase was associated with tumor depth, S-dThdPase was not an independent prognostic factor (P = 0.095).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high S-dThdPase is associated with depth of tumor invasion and poor response to treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Academic Surgery, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuou-ku, Chiba, Japan, 260-8677. hshimada@srgy201.m.chiba-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Tooru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shiratori
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nabeya
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okazumi
authors.forename: Hisahiro
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Funami
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gunji
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Takenori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ochiai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000628:therapy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase