Reduced membranous beta-catenin protein expression is associated with metastasis and poor prognosis in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate, by immunohistochemical analysis, the protein expression of beta-catenin and p53 in resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma specimens. The clinical relevance and prognostic significance of the expression of these proteins were also analyzed.


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry was performed on paraffin-embedded tissue specimens from 68 resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tumor specimens to detect the expression of beta-catenin and p53. The correlation between the results of immunoexpression and the clinicopathologic parameters and patient survival was processed statistically.


RESULTS
Reduced membranous beta-catenin expression was noted in 43 (63.2%) of 68 tumor specimens. Increased expression of p53 was observed in 43 (63.2%) of 68 specimens. Reduced membranous beta-catenin protein expression was associated with the presence of distant metastasis (P = .006). Patients with reduced membranous beta-catenin expression had a worse prognosis than patients with normal membranous beta-catenin expression (P = .005). Patients with combined increased p53 and reduced membranous beta-catenin protein expression had the worst prognosis (P = .012). In a multivariate survival analysis, reduced membranous beta-catenin expression and nodal involvement were independent prognostic factors (P = .004 and .019, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that reduced membranous beta-catenin protein expression was associated with the presence of distant metastasis and a poor prognosis in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Combined increased p53 and reduced membranous beta-catenin protein expression indicated a very poor prognosis in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Further investigation is needed to understand the roles of beta-catenin and p53 in the tumorigenesis and metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
Hsu
Po-Kuei
PK
Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University, School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
Li
Anna Fen-Yau
AF
Wang
Yi-Ching
YC
Hsieh
Chih-Cheng
CC
Huang
Min-Hsiung
MH
Hsu
Wen-Hu
WH
Hsu
Han-Shui
HS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D051176:beta Catenin