title: DNA-PKcs expression in esophageal cancer as a predictor for chemoradiation therapeutic sensitivity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It would be of considerable benefit to patients with esophageal cancer to be able to predict the effect of CRT before therapy, because critical side effects could be avoided and the therapeutic cost of CRT-resistant cases could be reduced. One of the biological parameters with the potential to indicate radioresponse is the DNA double-strand break repair enzyme DNA-PKcs. This study aims to clarify the correlation between DNA-PKcs expression and CRT effect.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-seven patients with progressive esophageal cancer treated with CRT were included in this study. The relationship between the expression of DNA-PKcs and the effect of CRT was examined by using immunohistochemistry. The relationships between DNA-PKcs expression, clinicopathologic parameters, and CRT effect were investigated statistically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant correlation was found between the expression of DNA-PKcs and the effect of CRT (P =.0149). The high-DNA-PKcs expression group showed greater therapeutic sensitivity than the low-expression group. Clinicopathologic factors had no relationship with DNA-PKcs expression or CRT effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that high expression of DNA-PKcs correlates with CRT effect. DNA-PKcs expression could, therefore, be useful for predicting the effect of CRT. In addition, these results may make it possible to plan therapy taking patients' quality of life into consideration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Science (Surgery II), Oita Medical University, Oita, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.forename: Tomotaka
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: Shoichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fumoto
authors.forename: Yuzo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: Shinsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takeno
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D051747:DNA-Activated Protein Kinase; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D051747:DNA-Activated Protein Kinase; C497263:PRKDC protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil