title: Prognostic significance of caspase-3 expression in primary resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study retrospectively examines the expression of caspase-3 in primary resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and the correlation between the outcome of patients and the expression of proteins.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analyses were used to analyse the expression of caspase-3 in 40 archival specimens of patients with primary resected ESCC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to our cut-off point of the staining for caspase-3, 24 (60%) cases were positive and 16 (40%) negative. Caspase-3 expression correlated with a significant favorable prognosis in primary resected ESCC (P=0.02). A multivariate analysis of clinical and biological factors indicated that stage, tumor differentiation, and caspase-3 expression were independent prognostic factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Caspase-3 expression might be a good and new prognostic indicator for primary resected ESCC.
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, 160 Sec. 3 Taichung-Kang Road, Taichung, Taiwan. hjy@vghtc.vghtc.gov.tw
authors.forename: Jiun-Yi
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Hsia
authors.forename: Chih-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jung-Ta
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chung-Ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Sen-Ei
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Shai
authors.forename: Shyh-Sheng
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Cheng-Yen
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Pei-Yen
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miaw
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013624:Taiwan; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases