Subset of esophageal adenocarcinoma expresses adhesion molecule l1 in contrast to squamous cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Esophageal adenocarcinoma is currently the most rapidly increasing cancer in Western populations. L1 (CD171), a neural cell adhesion molecule, has an essential function in tumor progression and has been shown to be expressed in the proliferating cells of the intestinal crypts in mice. The aim of the current study was to determine L1 expression in esophageal cancer and to evaluate whether L1 could serve as a potential marker and therapeutic target for this tumor type.


METHODS
L1 expression was assessed on a tissue microarray with 257 surgically resected esophageal cancer samples by immunohistochemistry with a monoclonal antibody (Clone UJ127). L1 expression was correlated with clinicopathological data.


RESULTS
L1 was detected in 22 (9%) of 257 esophageal cases, whereas 235 (91%) were L1 negative. Nineteen (86%) of the 22 L1-positive cases were adenocarcinoma. Cross table analysis showed a significant association between L1 expression and adenocarcinoma subtype (p<0.001), but not squamous cell carcinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
L1 expression in a subgroup of esophageal cancer is specifically prevalent in adenocarcinoma. Data suggest L1 as a potential target for biological therapy in L1-positive esophageal adenocarcinoma patients.
Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. trawnaq@uke.de
Tamina
T
Rawnaq
Helge
H
Kleinhans
Marius
M
Uto
Paulus G
PG
Schurr
Uta
U
Reichelt
Guellue
G
Cataldegirmen
Karim A
KA
Gawad
Emre F
EF
Yekebas
Melitta
M
Schachner
Jakob R
JR
Izbicki
Jussuf T
JT
Kaifi
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1