Prognostic significance of FAM3C in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Family with sequence similarity 3, member C (FAM3C) has been identified as a novel regulator in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastatic progression. However, the role of FAM3C in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unexplored. The purpose of present study is to illustrate the role of FAM3C in predicting outcomes of patients with ESCC.


METHODS
FAM3C expression was measured in ESCC tissues and the matched adjacent nontumorous tissues by quantitative real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. The relationship between FAM3C expression and prognosis of ESCC patients was further evaluated by univariate and multivariate regression analyses. Univariate and multivariate analyses of the prognostic factors were performed using Cox proportional hazards model.


RESULTS
The FAM3C mRNA expression was remarkably upregulated in ESCC compared with their nontumor counterparts (P < 0.001). In addition, high expression of FAM3C was significantly associated with pT stage (P = 0.014) , pN stage (P = 0.026) and TNM stage (P = 0.003). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the 7-year overall survival rate in the group with high expression of FAM3C was poorer than that in low expression group (32.0 versus 70.9 %; P < 0.001). Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that FAM3C was an independent risk factor for overall survival. Moreover, Stratified analysis revealed that FAM3C expression could differentiate the prognosis of patients in early clinical stage (TNM stage I-II).


CONCLUSIONS
FAM3C expression was dramatically increased in ESCC and might serve as a valuable prognostic indicator for ESCC patients after surgery.
Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China. zhuyh@sysucc.org.cn.
Ying-Hui
YH
Zhu
Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China. zhangbzh@sysucc.org.cn.
Baozhu
B
Zhang
Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China. limq@sysucc.org.cn.
Mengqing
M
Li
Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. pinzhuhuang@163.com.
Pinzhu
P
Huang
Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China. sunjian@sysucc.org.cn.
Jian
J
Sun
Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China. fujh@sysucc.org.cn.|Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou, China. fujh@sysucc.org.cn.|Department of Thoracic Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China. fujh@sysucc.org.cn.
Jianhua
J
Fu
Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China. xyguan@hkucc.hku.hk.|Department of Clinical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. xyguan@hkucc.hku.hk.
Xin-Yuan
XY
Guan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000235:genetics*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016207:Cytokines; C514209:FAM3C protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins