title: Positive transforming growth factor-β activated kinase-1 expression has an unfavorable impact on survival in T3N1-3M0 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transforming growth factor-β activated kinase-1 (TAK1) is a serine/threonine kinase in the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase family. Previous studies have reported the role of TAK1 in cancer occurrence and progression; however, its role and clinical significance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has not been elucidated. We investigated the correlation of TAK1 expression and clinical outcome in T3N1-3M0 surgically resected ESCCs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue microarrays constructed of 234 surgically resected T3N1-3M0 ESCC primary tumors were used for TAK1 evaluation by immunohistochemistry. The clinical and prognostic significance of TAK1 expression was analyzed statistically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Positive expression of TAK1 was observed in 38.5% (90 of 234). The expression level of TAK1 in ESCCs at stage N2-3 was significantly higher than the expression level in those at stage N1 (p = 0.041). Patients with negative TAK1 expression demonstrated better overall survival than those with positive expression (median, 22.7 vs 17.4 months; p = 0.023). Multivariate analysis showed that TAK1 expression was an independent prognostic factor in ESCC (relative risk, 1.429; p = 0.021).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TAK1 expression correlates with lymph node metastasis and is a negative, independent prognostic factor in resected T3N1-3M0 ESCCs.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Kong-Jia
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Shui-Shen
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jian-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D016629:Esophagectomy; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D000099151:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 7
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D000099151:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 7