title: Expression of carbohydrate antigens in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: prognostic application and its diagnostic implications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tumor markers whose antigenic determinants have been demonstrated to consist of carbohydrates are probably one of the most extensive tools that have been used in routine cancer diagnosis. In this study, the relevance of carbohydrate antigen expression profile was examined in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma together with prognosis in 130 patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of carbohydrate antigens was estimated immunohistochemically by anti-sialyl Lewis a (sialyl Le(a)) and anti-sialyl Lewis x (sialyl Le(x)) monoclonal antibodies, and correlation between their staining and clinicopathological status was examined. In addition, the correlation of both carbohydrate antigens expression was evaluated with microvessel density (MVD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expressions of sialyl Lewis antigens and MVD were associated with several clinicopathological features that reflect the tumor aggressiveness in esophageal cancer. The 5-year survival rate of patients was found to be associated with expression of sialyl Le(a) and sialyl Le(x) antigens and with MVD; thus, all of them were revealed to be independent prognostic factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combination of these factors offered a better prediction of prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Further, carbohydrate antigens represent a promising target for therapeutic approaches against the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgical Science (Surgery I), Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma University, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma, 371-8511, Japan. afaried@med.gunma-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faried
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Leri S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Faried
authors.forename: Nurhayat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Usman
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yazawa
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuwano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology*; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011379:Prognosis; D000080506:Sialyl Lewis X Antigen; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen; D005732:Gangliosides; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D000080506:Sialyl Lewis X Antigen; C064564:sialyl Le(a) ganglioside