Loss of carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 expression predicts metachronous pulmonary metastasis and poor survival in patients with hepatoblastoma.
OBJECTIVE
Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) is a member of the carcinoembryonic antigen family of immunoglobulin-like adhesion molecules. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that loss of CEACAM1 expression in hepatoblastoma cells may promote hematogeneous metastasis and function as an adverse prognostic factor.


METHODS
Immunohistochemical expression of CEACAM1 in surgically resected specimens from 19 patients with hepatoblastoma was examined retrospectively. The CEACAM1 expression in the epithelial area of the tumor was classified into 2 categories as follows: diffuse expression, characterized by positive staining throughout the tumor specimen, or loss of expression, in which there were distinct areas of negative staining within the tumor specimen.


RESULTS
Of the 19 patients, 12 were classified as having tumors with diffuse expression, and 7 had loss-of-expression tumors. Survival after treatment was significantly worse in patients with tumors with loss of CEACAM1 expression (cumulative 5-year survival rate, 29%) than in patients with diffuse CEACAM1 expression (cumulative 5-year survival rate, 92%; P = .0062). Loss of CEACAM1 expression was a significant risk factor for metachronous pulmonary metastases (P = .0105).


CONCLUSIONS
Loss of CEACAM1 expression may reflect a high metastatic potential and thus indicate a poor prognosis for patients with hepatoblastoma.
Tsukada
Mami
M
Division of Pediatric Surgery, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata City 951-8510, Japan.
Wakai
Toshifumi
T
Matsuda
Yasunobu
Y
Korita
Pavel V
PV
Shirai
Yoshio
Y
Ajioka
Yoichi
Y
Hatakeyama
Katsuyoshi
K
Kubota
Masayuki
M
D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D018197:Hepatoblastoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007223:Infant; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate
D015703:Antigens, CD; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C069847:CD66 antigens; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules