Caspase-3 expression in metastatic lymph nodes of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is prognostic of survival.
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether differential expression of caspase-3 in paired metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) is prognostic of survival in patients with resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).


METHODS
Capases-3 expression was evaluated immunohistochemically in 122 pairs of primary ESCCs and regional metastatic LNs assembled on tissue microarrays. The impact of caspase-3 expression on survival outcomes was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression model.


RESULTS
The level of caspase-3 expression was significantly higher in LN metastases than in primary tumors (P < 0.001). Caspase-3 expression in the primary tumors was associated with longer median survival (23 mo vs 21 mo, P = 0.033), whereas higher expression in paired metastatic LNs was associated with shorter median survival (20 mo vs 22 mo, P = 0.043). Multivariate analysis showed that both were independent prognostic factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Caspase-3 expression in metastatic LNs may be a potential independent predictor of poorer overall survival in patients with resected ESCC and LN metastasis. Protein expression in metastatic tumors may be a biomarker prognostic of survival.
Xiu-Shen Wang, Shan-Shan Bu, Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, Henan Province, China.
Xiu-Shen
XS
Wang
Xiu-Shen Wang, Shan-Shan Bu, Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, Henan Province, China.
Kong-Jia
KJ
Luo
Xiu-Shen Wang, Shan-Shan Bu, Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, Henan Province, China.
Amos Ela
AE
Bella
Xiu-Shen Wang, Shan-Shan Bu, Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, Henan Province, China.
Shan-Shan
SS
Bu
Xiu-Shen Wang, Shan-Shan Bu, Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, Henan Province, China.
Jing
J
Wen
Xiu-Shen Wang, Shan-Shan Bu, Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, Henan Province, China.
Shui-Shen
SS
Zhang
Xiu-Shen Wang, Shan-Shan Bu, Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, Henan Province, China.
Yi
Y
Hu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000201:enzymology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3
Caspase-3 protein; Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; Lymph node; Prognosis