title: Clinical impact of tumor-infiltrating inflammatory cells in primary small cell esophageal carcinoma.
abstract: Primary small cell esophageal carcinoma is a rare and aggressive type of gastrointestinal cancer with poor prognosis. In the present study, the impact of tumour infiltrating inflammatory cells on clinico-pathological characteristics and the patients' prognosis were analysed. A total of 36 small cell esophageal carcinomas, 19 adjacent normal tissues and 16 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma samples were collected. Qualified pathologists examined eosinophils, neutrophils, lymphocytes and macrophages on histochemical slides. The infiltration of eosinophils and macrophages in small cell esophageal carcinoma was significantly increased as compared with tumor adjacent normal tissues, and was significantly less in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Macrophage count was significantly associated with (p = 0.015) lymph node-stage in small cell esophageal carcinoma. When we grouped patients into two groups by counts of infiltrated inflammatory cells, Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that high macrophage infiltration group (p = 0.004) and high eosinophil infiltration group (p = 0.027) had significantly enhanced survival. In addition, multivariate analysis unveiled that eosinophil count (p = 0.002) and chemotherapy (Yes vs. No, p = 0.001) were independent prognostic indicators. Taken together, infiltration of macrophages and eosinophils into the solid tumor appear to be important in the progression of small cell esophageal carcinoma and patients' prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Information, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China. zyl88900406@126.com.
authors.forename: Yuling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, the Central Hospital of Kaifeng, Kaifeng 475000, China. 13683789899@163.com.
authors.forename: Hongzheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotherapy and Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China. lullawang@163.com.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotherapy and Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China. ningzhifeng1976@163.com.
authors.forename: Zhifeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ning
authors.affiliation: Tumor Tissue Bank, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China. zhyixuan@126.com.
authors.forename: Yixuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotherapy and Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China. jinfenggan@163.com.
authors.forename: Jinfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China. chensb535176@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Shaobin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA. david_zhou@urmc.rochester.edu.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. hua.zhu@osumc.edu.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA. dongfengtan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Dongfeng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotherapy and Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China. haozhang@stu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D004947:Esophagus / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis