Expression and prognostic significance of PTEN product protein in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
PTEN is a candidate tumor-suppressor gene in a variety of malignant tumors. The prognostic importance of PTEN product protein (PTEN) and its correlation with clinicopathologic characteristics have yet to be delineated in patients with esophageal carcinoma.


METHODS
Specimens from 97 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were used for the immunohistochemical evaluation of PTEN expression.


RESULTS
PTEN expression was detected in the nucleus in 48 specimens (49.5%). There were statistically significant correlations between nuclear PTEN expression and macroscopic tumor classification, T stage, and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage (P < 0.01), indicating that PTEN expression was down-regulated by advancement of the disease process. There were no statistically significant correlations between nuclear PTEN expression and the intensity and extent of cytoplasmic PTEN expression. The 10-year overall survival rate was significantly better in patients with positive nuclear PTEN expression (n = 48 patients) compared with the rate in patients with negative nuclear PTEN expression (n = 49 patients; P < 0.01). The results of a multivariate analysis of factors that were prognostic for survival showed that AJCC stage (P < 0.05; relative risk, 2.038) and negative nuclear PTEN expression (P < 0.05; relative risk, 1.825) were significant factors indicative of poor survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Nuclear PTEN expression may be a favorable biologic marker and a useful prognostic indicator in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
Tachibana
Mitsuo
M
Second Department of Surgery, Shimane Medical University, Enya-cho 89-1, Izumo 693-8501, Shimane, Japan.
Shibakita
Muneaki
M
Ohno
Satoshi
S
Kinugasa
Shoichi
S
Yoshimura
Hiroshi
H
Ueda
Shuhei
S
Fujii
Toshiyuki
T
Rahman
Mohammad A
MA
Dhar
Dipok K
DK
Nagasue
Naofumi
N
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D018095:Germ-Line Mutation; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; C494929:PTEN protein, human