Loss of fragile histidine triad gene expression is associated with progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, but not with the patient's prognosis and smoking history

Abstract

BACKGROUND Recently, fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene abnormality has been thought to be associated with several malignancies and smoking history. The authors previously discovered that methylation of the 5′ CpG island of the FHIT gene was closely associated with transcriptional inactivation in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC); however, the clinical impact of the FHIT gene in esophageal carcinoma is still unknown. METHODS In this article, the authors evaluated the clinical impact of the FHIT gene in 149 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients retrospectively using immunohistochemical analysis. They also examined the correlation between FHIT protein expression and smoking history. RESULTS Among 149 curative resection (R0) cases of esophageal SCC, normal FHIT protein expression was noted in only 33 cases (22.1%), whereas reduced FHIT protein expression was noted in 67 cases and there was no FHIT expression in 50 cases. When a tumor invaded the muscle layer, FHIT protein expression was markedly reduced. The cases with reduction or loss of FHIT protein expression tended to have poor prognoses (P = 0.069). However, Cox multivariate analysis revealed that FHIT protein reduction had no relation to prognosis. FHIT protein expression had no relation to smoking history. CONCLUSIONS FHIT protein expression was associated with progression of esophageal SCC, however, it may not be associated with the patient's prognosis and smoking history. Cancer 2000;89:5–11. © 2000 American Cancer Society.