Multivariate analysis of the pathologic features of esophageal squamous cell cancer: tumor budding is a significant independent prognostic factor.
BACKGROUND
Tumor budding has been suggested to be a prognostic factor in various cancers but has never been studied in esophageal cancer.


METHODS
In this study, the microscopic finding of tumor budding in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma was correlated with outcome after esophagectomy. One hundred and thirty-six patients undergoing a curative esophagectomy were assigned to either a frequent (n = 82) or rare (n = 54) group according to the microscopically observed frequency of tumor budding in the tumor.


RESULTS
The 5-year survival rates after esophagectomy were 35.4% for the frequent group and 81.3% for the rare group. Multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model by a stepwise method identified this morphological variable as a significant independent prognostic factor.


CONCLUSIONS
Tumor budding in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma reflects the biological activity of the tumor and may be a useful prognostic indicator.
Koike
Masahiko
M
Department of Surgery II, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan. dockoike@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Kodera
Yasuhiro
Y
Itoh
Yuichi
Y
Nakayama
Goro
G
Fujiwara
Michitaka
M
Hamajima
Nobuyuki
N
Nakao
Akimasa
A
D000368:Aged; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016629:Esophagectomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate