Radiation Oncology Journal

The Korean Society for Radiation Oncology (대한방사선종양학회)
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EGFR, p53, Cox-2 and Bcl-2 Expression in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and Their Potential Clinical Implication

비인강암에서 예후인자로서의 EGFR, p53, Cox-2, Bcl-2 단백발현

  • Chae, Soo-Min (Departments of Radiation Oncology, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Youn-Soo (Departments of Pathology, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine) ;
  • Roh, Kwang-Won (Departments of Radiation Oncology, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine) ;
  • Chung, Su-Mi (Departments of Radiation Oncology, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine) ;
  • Yoon, Sei-Chul (Departments of Radiation Oncology, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine) ;
  • Jang, Hong-Seok (Departments of Radiation Oncology, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Yeon-Sil (Departments of Radiation Oncology, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine)
  • 채수민 (가톨릭대학교 의과대학 방사선종양학교실) ;
  • 이연수 (가톨릭대학교 의과대학 병리학교실) ;
  • 노광원 (가톨릭대학교 의과대학 방사선종양학교실) ;
  • 정수미 (가톨릭대학교 의과대학 방사선종양학교실) ;
  • 윤세철 (가톨릭대학교 의과대학 방사선종양학교실) ;
  • 장홍석 (가톨릭대학교 의과대학 방사선종양학교실) ;
  • 김연실 (가톨릭대학교 의과대학 방사선종양학교실)
  • Published : 2007.03.31
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Abstract

[ $\underline{Purpose}$ ]: To evaluate the relationship between the expression of EGFR, p53, Cox-2, Bcl-2 and the clinical parameters of NPC (nasopharyngeal carcinoma) patients treated with radiotherapy with/without chemotherapy, and to determine if these could be used as a biologic marker. $\underline{Materials\;and\;Methods}$: This study retrospectively examined 75 NPC patients who were pathologically diagnosed at St. Mary's Hospital and Kangnam St Mary's Hospital from March 1988 to August 2002 and treated with radiotherapy with/without chemotherapy. The levels of EGFR, p53, Cox-2, and Bcl-2 expression were determined immunohistochemically. The relationship between the levels of EGFR, p53, Cox-2 and Bcl-2 expression and the H- E staining findings including the WHO classification, TNM stage, tumor response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, disease free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) was analyzed. $\underline{Results}$: At a median follow up of 50.8 months (range: $5.5{\sim}201$ months), the 3 years OS rate and PFS rate were 68.7% and 68.2%, respectively. The five year OS rate and PFS rate were 53.5% and 51.1%, respectively. The median OS duration and PFS duration were 85.5 months and 61.1 months, respectively. The WHO classification correlated with the complete response rate, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis. The expression of p53 was associated with increased mitosis and poor overall survival. The expression of Bcl-2 correlated with the DFS and WHO classification. The expression of Cox-2 correlated with a poor overall survival and response rate in the lymph node. However, EGFR was not correlated with any factors. $\underline{Conclusion}$: These results suggest that the expression of p53, Cox-2, Bcl-2 plays role in predicting prognostic factors for NPC treated with radiotherapy with/without chemotherapy. However, further study on a larger number of patients will be needed to identify more useful biomarkers of NPC.

목 적: 비인강암종 환자들의 종양조직으로부터 EGFR, p53, Cox-2, Bcl-2 단백발현정도를 측정하고 임상양상, 치료성적과의 관련성을 조사하여 이들 단백이 치료에 대한 반응 및 예후를 예측할 수 있는 생물학적 표지자(biomarker)로 이용할 수 있는지 알아보고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법: 1988년 3월 1일부터 2002년 8월 15일까지 성모병원과 강남성모병원에서 비인강암으로 진단받고 근치적 방사선치료와 항암치료를 받았던 환자 104명 중 파라핀 블록이 보존되어 있는 75명을 대상으로 하여 후향적 분석을 시행하였다. 병기는 2002년에 개정된 AJCC로 재분류하였으며, 대상환자의 Hematoxylin-Eosin 염색 슬라이드를 두경부 병리 전문의사가 재검토하여 WHO 분류에 맞게 환자군을 분류하였으며 역형성(anaplasia) 유무, 유사분열(mitosis) 빈도 측정 등 병리조직학적 소견을 확인하였다. EGFR, p53, Cox-2, Bcl-2 단백발현 정도를 면역조직 화학염색을 통해 측정하였으며 이들 단백의 발현정도와 임상병기, 치료성적과의 관련성을 조사하였다. 결 과: 전체 104명 환자의 추적기간은 $5.5{\sim}201$개월이었고 3년 생존율은 68.7%, 5년 생존율은 53.5%, 중앙생존기간은 85.5개월이었으며 3년 무병생존율은 68.2%, 5년 무병생존율은 51.5%, 중앙무병생존기간은 61.1개월이었다. WHO 분류 2와 3 종양은 완전관해율이 높아 항암방사선치료(chemoradiotherapy)에 대한 반응성이 높은 경향을 보였으며(p=0.075), 상대적으로 진단당시 림프절전이율이 높았고, 원격전이할 확률이 높았다. p53은 발현 정도가 증가함에 따라 생존율이 떨어지고 유사분열은 증가하였다. Bcl-2 발현이 증가함에 따라 재발률이 떨어지는 경향을 보였으며, WHO 분류와 연관성을 보였다. Cox-2의 발현이 증가함에 따라 생존율이 떨어지고, 림프절치료율도 낮은 것으로 나타났다. 그러나 EGFR은 어떤 인자와도 상관관계를 보이지 않았다. 결 론: 비인강암에서 치료 후 예후를 예측할 수 있는 생물학적 표지자의 가능성을 가진 것으로 보고되고 있는 Cox-2, p53, Bcl-2, EGFR에 대한 연구결과 Cox-2, p53, Bcl-2의 발현정도는 항암방사선치료후 반응률, 생존율, 재발률과 연관을 보여 향후 치료결과를 예측할 수 있는 예후인자로서의 이용가능성이 있음을 알 수 있었으며 보다 실용적인 생물학적 표지자의 규명을 위해서 향후 보다 많은 환자를 대상으로 한 전향적 연구가 필요할 것으로 생각된다.

Keywords

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