Polymorphism Arg290Arg in esophageal-cancer-related gene 1 (ECRG1) is a prognostic factor for survival in esophageal cancer.
BACKGROUND
Esophageal cancer is one of the most frequent cancers worldwide and is associated with poor outcome. Besides clinicopathological data, few prognostic molecular markers exist. Esophageal-cancer-related gene1 (ECRG1) short tandem repeats are associated with higher risk for developing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of DNA polymorphisms in the coding region of ECRG1 in esophageal carcinoma.


METHODS
Genomic DNA of 107 patients with esophageal cancer that underwent complete surgical resection between 1997 and 2005 was extracted. DNA was analyzed for ECRG1 polymorphisms Arg290Arg, Arg290Gln, and Gln290Gln by PCR and gel electrophoresis. Polymorphisms were correlated with survival data by the Kaplan-Meier method, multivariate Cox regression analysis, and odds ratio were determined. For all variables, cross tables were generated, followed by calculation of the p value by using the chi-square test/Fisher-exact test.


RESULTS
Follow-up data of 102 patients with esophageal cancer were available after complete surgical resection for a median follow-up time of 24.3 months. Polymorphism Arg290Arg was found in 47 patients (46.1%), Arg290Gln in 48 patients (47.0%), and Gln290Gln in seven cases (6.9%). Arg290Arg polymorphism was significantly associated with reduced overall survival (p = 0.01) and tumor-free survival (p = 0.01) by the log-rank test. Multivariate regression analysis by Cox revealed polymorphism Arg290Arg to be a significant prognostic factor for survival (p = 0.012).


CONCLUSIONS
Polymorphism Arg290Arg in ECRG1 is associated with poor clinical outcome after complete surgical resection in patients with esophageal cancer.
Bachmann
Kai
K
Department of General, Visceral, and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. k.bachmann@uke.uni-hamburg.de
Shahmiri
Shanly
S
Kaifi
Jussuf
J
Schurr
Paulus
P
Mann
Oliver
O
Rawnaq
Tamina
T
Block
Suzette
S
Kalinin
Viacheslav
V
Izbicki
Jakob R
JR
Strate
Tim
T
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors; D057057:Serine Proteases; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C446704:TMPRSS11A protein, human; D057057:Serine Proteases