Abstract
BackgroundWe assessed the nm23-H1 gene product expression and its relationship with lymphatic and blood vessel invasion in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.MethodsFormalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 45 patients who were treated surgically were used in this study. Pathologists graded lymphatic and blood vessel invasion in each of the tissue samples. Expression of nm23-Hl gene product was determined using a specific monoclonal antibody.ResultsExpression of nm23-H1 gene product was present in 17 (37.8%) cases. We found an inverse correlation between nm23-H1 gene product expression and lymphatic vessel invasion, whereas no correlation between nm23-H1 gene product expression and blood vessel invasion. Overall survival rate was not different between nm23-H1 gene product positive and negative patients (p = 0.21). However, reduced expression of nm23-H1 gene product was associated with shorter overall survival in patients with involved lymph nodes (p < 0.05), but not in patients without involved lymph nodes (p = 0.87).ConclusionsIn patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, there appears to be an inverse relationship between nm23-H1 gene product expression and lymphatic vessel invasion. Furthermore, nm23-H1 gene product expression might be a prognostic marker in patients with involved lymph nodes. Our data does not demonstrate any correlation between nm23-H1 gene product expression and blood vessel invasion.
Highlights
We assessed the nm23-H1 gene product expression and its relationship with lymphatic and blood vessel invasion in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
There was no significant correlation between nm23-H1 gene product expression and lymph node metastasis
Earlier studies have reported a clear correlation between lymphatic vessel invasion and regional lymph node metastases in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma [16,17]
Summary
We assessed the nm23-H1 gene product expression and its relationship with lymphatic and blood vessel invasion in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. With regard to lung cancer, previous studies have shown that nm gene product expression is unrelated to patient survival [12]. The reasons for these conflicting results remain unhttp://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/1/3 clear. Very little attention has been given to the role of nm23-H1 gene product in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, two studies report on the relationship between nm23-H1 expression and patient survival [13,14]. What remains to be seen, is whether nm23-H1 gene product expression is associated with lymphatic or blood vessel invasion in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
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