PTCH gene expression as a potential marker for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The PTCH expression level in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was examined.


METHODS
To test whether PTCH can serve as a candidate marker for esophageal SCC, a quantitative reverse transcription (RT) -PCR for the PTCH gene was performed and the possible relationship between PTCH gene expression levels and clinicopathological findings in esophageal SCC was evaluated.


RESULTS
A low PTCH expression score was observed in 18 out of 29 (62%) esophageal SCCs and it was significantly correlated with a poor prognosis in esophageal SCC patients (p = 0.0073).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that PTCH might serve as a new parameter for the prediction of prognosis in esophageal SCC.
Gastroenterological Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8560, Japan.
Akiharu
A
Ishiyama
Kenji
K
Hibi
Masahiko
M
Koike
Michitaka
M
Fujiwara
Yasuhiro
Y
Kodera
Katsuki
K
Ito
Akimasa
A
Nakao
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000072079:Patched Receptors; D000072081:Patched-1 Receptor; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015996:Survival Rate
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C000606236:PTCH1 protein, human; D000072079:Patched Receptors; D000072081:Patched-1 Receptor; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface