• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7315-7319
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• 2013

Background: The metastasis gene osteopontin (OPN) is subject to alternative splicing, which yields three messages, osteopontin-a, osteopontin-b and osteopontin-c. Osteopontin-c is selectively expressed in invasive, but not in noninvasive tumors. In the present study, we examined the expression of OPN-c in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCCs) and assessed its value as a diagnostic biomarker. Methods: OPN-c expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry in 63 ESCC samples and correlated with clinicopathologic factors. Expression was also examined in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 120 ESCC patients and 30 healthy subjects. The role of OPN-c mRNA as a tumor marker was investigated by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. Results: Immunohistochemistry showed that OPN-c was expressed in 30 of 63 cancer lesions (48%)and significantly associated with pathological T stage (P=0.038) and overall stage (P=0.023). Real time PCR showed that OPN-c mRNA was expressed at higher levels in the PBMCs of ESCC patients than in those of healthy subjects (P<0.0001) with a sensitivity as an ESCC biomarker of 86.7%. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that expression of OPN-c is significantly elevated in ESCCs and this upregulation could be a potential diagnostic marker.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2013

Over the decades, the treatment of the esophageal cancer has been debated. Multimodal therapy is a important keystone in advanced esophageal cancer. Neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy is now known to provide advantages for treating stage II and stage III esophageal squamous cell cancer and can also be considered for the esophageal adenocarcinoma. Definitive chemoradiation therapy results in long-term survival compared with surgery alone. This review aims to provide recent consensus recommendations based on the data and literatures.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.1783-1786
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• 2012

Objectives: To analyze esophageal cancer incidence and pathological data of Zhongshan in China in 1970-2007, and to provide scientific information for its prevention and control. Methods: From Zhongshan Cancer Registry esophageal cancer incident and pathological data were obtained. Pathological proportions and trends were calculated and analyzed. Results: Although there was a continuously and obviously increasing trend for male incidence rates in 1970-2007 in Zhongshan, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AD) incident proportions during 1990-2007 remained relatively stable. Moreover, SCC was the major pathological type, accounting for 70.6 percent of all new cases, while AD were relatively few and accounted for only 2.66 percent throughout the period. Conclusion: The male esophageal cancer incident pattern in Zhongshan in 1970-2007 was quite different from most other domestic areas. The data suggest that etiological analysis should be enhanced for improved control in Zhongshan.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.3677-3683
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• 2015

Abnormally expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) and genes have been found to play key roles in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. The aim of this paper was to assess inter-relationships and the regulatory mechanisms of ESCC through a network-based approach. We built three regulatory networks: an abnormally expressed network, a related network and a global network. Unlike previous examples, containing information only on genes or miRNAs, the prime focus was on relationships. It is worth noting that abnormally expressed network emerged as a fault map of ESCC. Theoretically, ESCC might be treated and prevented by correcting the included errors. In addition, the predicted transcription factors (TFs) obtained by the P-match method also warrant further study. Our results may further guide gene therapy researchers in the study of ESCC.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.825-830
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• 1990

Esophageal cancer is relatively uncommon except in isolated endemic areas, but it generally devastating to the patient. Usually, by the time the disease becomes clinically evident, it is incurable. The aim of treatment is then relegated to attempting to palliate the symptoms in the best possible manner with the least morbidity and mortality. Squamous cell carcinoma in by far the commonest type of malignancy involving the body of the esophagus, accounting for more than 95 percent of all esophageal malignancies. Because the tumor’s microscopic spread is much greater than its macroscopic extent, it is necessary to resect a sufficiently long segment of the esophagus. And second tumors may occur either in the esophagus as a manifestation of a field change or in other organs. Recently we had experienced a case with in situ carcinoma away from the invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. A 58 year-old male was admitted with the chief complaint of swallowing difficulty for a month prior to admission. While we studied the esophagogram and chest CT, we found that the mass was protruded to the lumen of esophagus at the level of the 7th-9th thoracic vertebral columns. We performed esophagectomy with lymph node dissection and esophagogastrostomy by thoracic and abdominal approaches. The pathologic result showed separation of another in situ carcinoma away from the invasive squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus at the level of esophagogastric junctions. Postoperative course was uneventful. Now he is taking the postoperative irradiation at out patient department.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.763-767
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• 2014

Aim: To study the contribution of genetic variation in RAD51 to risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in RAD51 (rs1801320, rs4144242 and rs4417527) were genotyped in 316 ESCC patients and 316 healthy controls in Anyang area of China using PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism). Demographic variables between cases and controls were statistically compared by T test and Chi-square test. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was evaluated by the Chi-square test. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to measure any association with ESCC. Haplotype frequencies were estimated by Phase 2.1. Result: The genotype frequencies of rs1801320, rs4144242 and rs4417527 in patients with ESCC demonstrated no significant differences from those in control group (P>0.05). When the haplotypes of these three SNPs were constructed and their relationships with ESCC risk investigated, however, CGG was observed to increase the risk (P=0.020, OR=2.289). Conclusions: There was no association between the three SNPs of RAD51 and ESCC susceptibility in our Chinese population. However, the CGG haplotype might be a risk factor.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3491-3497
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• 2013

Background: Gastric and esophageal cancers are among the most lethal human malignancies worldwide. Of all malignancies estimated in Iran (47,100), gastric and esophageal cancers were responsible for 7,800 and 3,500 deaths in 2008 respectively. The present study aimed to provide an image of patho-epidemiological characteristics with their trends during two past decades with emphasis on topographic, morphologic, and some demographic features. Materials and Methods: In a hospital-based retrospective study in 2009, all pathological reports from esophageal endoscopies and gastric biopsies through a 20 years period (1989-2008) were collected and analyzed in four interval periods(five years each). Also, all eligible samples in hospital archives were enrolled for further testing. Besides, demography, topography and morphology of all samples were determined and analyzed by statistical software. Results: No significant statistical difference was seen in frequency of espohageal and gastric tumors throughout the study. Esophageal cancer cases were older than gastric. Sex ratio was 2.33/1 and men had a higher rate of both esophageal and gastric tumors. Stomach cancer included 64.3% of all cases. Inferior third and end of esophagus were common locations for esophageal tumors whereas proximal stomach was common for gastric tumors. Squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma were common morphological types of tumors in esophagus and stomach respectively. Conclusions: Morphological trends showed an increase of esophageal adenocarcinoma and diffuse/intestinal ratio in stomach cancers. Trends in incidence from gastric cancer decreased based on topographic studies but we could not find a topographical trend toward cadia.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.3075-3079
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• 2014

Background: The relationship between body mass index(BMI) and outcomes after chemoradiotherapy(CRT) has not been systematically addressed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of BMI on survival in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Materials and Methods: Sixty ESCC cases were retrospectively reviewed in this study. Patient overall survival(OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared between two groups (BMI< $24.00kg/m^2$ and $BMI{\geq}24.00kg/m^2$). Results: There were 41 patients in the low/normal BMI group (BMI< $24.00kg/m^2$) and 19 in the high BMI group ($BMI{\geq}24.00kg/m^2$). No significant differences were observed in patient characteristics between these. We found no difference in 2-year OS and DFS associated with BMI (p=0.763 for OS; p=0.818 for DFS) using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate analysis revealed that higher clinical stage was prognostic for worse 2-year OS and DFS, metastasis for 2-year OS, lymph node status for 2-year DFS, while age, gender, smoking, drinking, tumor location and BMI were not prognostic. There were no differences in the 2-year OS (hazard ratio=1.117; p=0.789) and DFS(hazard ratio=1.161; p=0.708) between BMI groups in multivariate analysis, whereas we found statistical differences in the 2-year OS and DFS associated with clinical stage, gender and tumor infiltration (p<0.04), independent of age, smoking, drinking, tumor location, the status of lymph node metastases and BMI. Conclusions: BMI was not associated with survival in patients with ESCC treated with CRT as primary therapy. BMI should not be considered a prognostic factor for patients undergoing CRT for ESCC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.3713-3716
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• 2012

Objective: Transmembrane protein 166 (TMEM166) expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and remote normal esophageal tissues was examined to assess any role in tumour biology. Methods: TMEM166 mRNA expression in 36 cases with ESCC (36 tumour samples, 36 remote normal esophageal tissue samples) was detected by RT-PCR. TMEM166 protein expression was analysed in paraffin-embedded tissue samples from the same cases by immunohistochemistry. Results: Semi-quantitative analysis showed TMEM166 mRNA expression in ESCCs to be significantly lower than in remote normal esophageal tissues ($0.759{\pm}0.713$ vs. $2.622{\pm}1.690$, P=0.014). TMEM166 protein expression was also significantly reduced (69.4% vs. 94.4%, P<0.01). Conclusion: TMEM166 mRNA and protein expression demonstrated significant reduction in ESCCs compared with remote esophageal tissues, albeit with no correlation with tumour size, differentiation, stage, and lymph node metastasis, suggesting a role in regulating autophagic and apoptotic processes in the ESCC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1563-1566
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• 2014

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) accounts for most esophageal cancer in Asia, and is the sixth common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Previous studies indicated HOXB7 is overexpressed in ESCC tissues, but data on prognostic value are limited. Methods: A total of 76 advanced ESCC cases were investigated. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect the expression levels of HOXB7 and Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression models to determine prognostic significance. Stratified analysis was also performed according to lymph node (LN) status. Results: Kaplan-Meier curve analysis indicated that HOXB7 positive patients had significantly shorter overall survival (OS) than HOXB7 negative patients. Multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model indicated only TNM stage and HOXB7 expression to be independent predictors of overall survival of advanced ESCC patients. HOXB7 indicated poor OS in both lymph node negative (LN-) and lymph node positive (LN+) patients. Conclusion: HOXB7 predicts poor prognosis of advanced ESCC patients and can be applied as an independent prognostic predictor.