Expression of cyclooxygenase-2, vascular endothelial growth factor, and epidermal growth factor receptor in Chinese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a frequently occurring cancer with poor prognosis despite combined therapeutic strategies. The aim of the current study was to elucidate a further finding on the clinicopathologic significance of immunohistochemical expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in Chinese patients with ESCC.


METHODS
Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded surgically resected tumor samples were obtained from 140 randomly selected Chinese patients with ESCC. Sections were immunohistochemically stained for COX-2, VEGF, and EGFR. The correlations between clinicopathological features and the high expression of COX-2, VEGF, and EGFR were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 19.0 software (IBM Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).


RESULTS
In the present study, high expression of COX-2, EGFR, and VEGF was found in 64.3%, 62.1%, and 65.0%, respectively. Results showed that COX-2 overexpression was significantly correlated with degree of differentiation (P = 0.000), and lymph node metastasis (negative/positive, P = 0.002). EGFR and VEGF overexpression was significantly correlated with a differentiated degree, T stage, N stage, and tumor, node, metastases stage.


CONCLUSIONS
High expression of COX-2, EGFR, and VEGF is an unfavorable prognostic factor in ESCC, and could be used as a poor prognosis indicator for the ESCC patients. Targeting therapy to these three targets should be considered to the combined treatment in ESCC.
Yong
Y
Cui
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Chang
C
Dong
Bing-Qun
BQ
Wu
Xin-Chun
XC
Duan
Guan
G
Shi
Min
M
Gong
Tian-You
TY
Wang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D066246:ErbB Receptors