title: Expression of activated signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 as a predictive and prognostic marker in advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) is an oncogenic transcription factor constitutively active and aberrantly expressed in various types of malignancies, and the expression of p-STAT3 has been recognized as a predictor of poor survival. It remains unclear how variations in p-STAT3 expression influence clinical outcomes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1 January 2008 and 1 November 2013, 153 advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients (stage IV) from two cancer centers in West China were treated with paclitaxel and cisplatin. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical outcomes of patients with ESCC and examined the correlation between p-STAT3 levels and clinical outcomes in esophageal cancer patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 153 patients, positive p-STAT3 expression was observed in 73 of 153 (47.7 %) cases. The median PFS for patients with positive expression of p-STAT3 and negative expression of p-STAT3 was 5.0 months and 6.9 months, respectively (P < 0.001). The median overall survival was significantly higher in patients with p-STAT3 negative tumors than in those with p-STAT3 positive tumors (9.9 vs 8.9 months, P = 0.026). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that p-STAT3 expression was statistically indicative of a poor prognosis for progression-free survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data showed that p-STAT3 expression was significantly associated with poor prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer and could be used as a predictive and prognostic marker in esophageal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiration, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei Institute for Nationalities, Enshi, Hubei Province, China. huangchuying2008@126.com.|Department of Medical Oncology, Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture Central Hospital, No. 158, Wu Yang Avenue, Enshi, Hubei Province, China. huangchuying2008@126.com.
authors.forename: Chuying
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture Central Hospital, No. 158, Wu Yang Avenue, Enshi, Hubei Province, China. wang59919@yeah.net.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, No. 37, Guo Xue Xiang, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. 860498612@qq.com.
authors.forename: Xibiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture Central Hospital, No. 158, Wu Yang Avenue, Enshi, Hubei Province, China. 599193142@qq.com.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture Central Hospital, No. 158, Wu Yang Avenue, Enshi, Hubei Province, China. 2722711576@qq.com.
authors.forename: Dian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture Central Hospital, No. 158, Wu Yang Avenue, Enshi, Hubei Province, China. 724249691@qq.com.
authors.forename: Chunyan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D002681:China; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin