title: Cytokeratin expression in adenocarcinomas of the esophagogastric junction: a comparative study of adenocarcinomas of the distal esophagus and of the proximal stomach.
abstract: Adenocarcinomas of the esophagogastric junction form a heterogeneous group of tumors. We aimed to evaluate the value of the expression pattern of cytokeratins 7, 19, and 20 for their diagnosis and classification. A total of 85 cases of adenocarcinoma of the distal esophagus and 67 cases of adenocarcinoma of the proximal stomach, defined on strict topographical criteria, were investigated. About 90% of the adenocarcinomas of distal esophagus were positive for cytokeratins 7 and 19, in contrast to <45% of the adenocarcinomas of proximal stomach (p <0.01); 17.6% of the adenocarcinomas of the distal esophagus and 55.2% of the adenocarcinomas of the proximal stomach expressed cytokeratin 20 (p <0.01); and 74.1% of the adenocarcinomas of the distal esophagus and 23.8% of the adenocarcinomas of the proximal stomach had a CK7+/CK20- immunophenotype (p <0.01). In intestinal-type tumors a CK7+/CK20- immunophenotype had a sensitivity of 76.5%, a specificity of 84.5%, and a predictive positive value of 87.3% for the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the distal esophagus. Cytokeratin patterns are different in adenocarcinomas of the distal esophagus and in adenocarcinomas of the proximal stomach. A CK7+/CK20- pattern is highly suggestive of an esophageal origin and may be helpful for the correct classification of esophagogastric adenocarcinomas.
authors.affiliation: Service Central d'Anatomie et Cytologie Pathologiques, Unité d'Oncologie Médicale, Hôspital Eduard Herriot, Lion, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Taniere
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borghi-Scoazec
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Saurin
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lombard-Bohas
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boulez
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hainaut
authors.forename: Jean-Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Scoazec
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000473:pathology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D007633:Keratins