title: Expression level of beta-catenin is associated with prognosis of esophageal carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the association of beta-catenin with the clinicopathologic features and prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Beta-catenin mRNA expression level in 40 ESCC patients (28 males and 12 females, age range 38-82 years, median 60 years) was analyzed by real-time PCR. Beta-catenin mRNA expression levels in tumor cells were categorized as weaker (level 1) or equal to or stronger (level 2) than those in endothelial cells. We examined the correlation between the beta-catenin expression and the clinicopathological factors and prognosis of ESCC patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Level 2 beta-catenin expression was found in 29 patients. ESCC with level 2 expression had a higher rate of lymphnode metastasis (0.0776 +/- 0.0369 vs 0.3413 +/- 0.1803, P < 0.001) and deeper tumor invasion (0.0751 +/- 0.0356 vs 0.3667 +/- 0.1928, P < 0.001), and a poorer survival rate (P = 0.0024) than ESCC with level 1 expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Beta-catenin expression in ESCC is of great importance.
authors.affiliation: Affillted Nanjing First Hospital Oncology Center, Nanjing Medical University, Changle Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Lv
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Xiu-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: He-Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yi-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051176:beta Catenin