Clinicopathologic significance of cyclooxygenase-2 overexpression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Esophageal cancer is one of the most aggressive malignancies in the world, and whether multiple therapeutic modalities could improve long-term survival remains controversial. Recent studies have shown an increase of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in various malignancies, but its clinicopathologic role in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear. METHODS: From 1993 to 1997, tissue samples from 96 patients with ESCC who underwent esophagectomy at our institution were collected for analysis. Cyclooxygenase-2 expression was examined by immunohistochemical staining, and further confirmed by Western blot analysis on six frozen tissues. Clinicopathologic data were analyzed to verify the significance. RESULTS: Cyclooxygenase-2 immunoreactivity was detected in 59 of 96 ESCC specimens (61%), and COX-2 overexpression (COX-2 high) was observed in 49% (47 of 96) of ESCCs. Statistical differences between COX-2 high and COX-2 low were found with respect to the status of distant metastasis (M factor) (p = 0.035) and tumor stage (p = 0.04). The survival was not significantly different between patients with and without COX-2 overexpression (p = 0.43). Using the Cox regression analysis, only the N factor (p = 0.0034) and M factor (p = 0.0325) were independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that in patients with ESCC, COX-2 overexpression was significantly correlated with fewer metastases and less advanced stage, but had no impact on survival. The status of local or distant lymph node metastasis was the most important prognostic factor. The biological role and pathophysiologic regulation of COX-2 overexpression in ESCC deserve further investigation.     

Long-term results of operation for 420 patients with early squamous cell esophageal carcinoma discovered by screening

BACKGROUND: Cancer of the esophagus is one of the most commonly seen malignancies in China. From 1959 to 1981, mass screening of esophageal cancer disclosed that the age-adjusted incidence in the 40- to 69-year-old population in Lin County, Henan Province, was 470/10(5) In its northern part, an even higher incidence of 760/10(5)was found. As they were discovered by mass screening, most of them were found to have early lesions. Surgical treatment was done in attempt to find out the feasibility of managing esophageal carcinoma by early diagnosis and early treatment. This paper is the result of the long-term follow-up. METHODS: Since 1972, a total of 17 extensive mass screening has been conducted among more than 160,000 participants in the rural areas in Henan, Hebei, and northern Jiangsu provinces, sorting out more than 30,000 high-risk individuals. Among these individuals, 24,600 were examined by endoscopy, discovering 2,094 patients with carcinomas in the esophagus or gastric cardia; 757 of these 2,094 patients were found to have superficial esophageal cancer; 420 patients accepted surgical treatment. Esophagectomy with gastric replacement was performed through left thoracotomy in all patients. Cervical anastomosis 94 (22.4%), intrathoracic supraaortic anastomosis 307 (73.1%), and infra-aortic anastomosis 19 (4.5%) were done. Double thoracoabdominal lymphatic dissection was performed. RESULTS: The resection rate was 100%. One-month operative mortality occurred in 5 (1.2%). Postoperative complications developed and were satisfactorily treated in 28 patients (6.7%). Pathology of the cancer specimens showed that there were carcinoma in situ in 76 (all without lymphatic metastasis), intramucosal (TI) carcinoma in 126 (2 [1.6%] with lymphatic metastasis), and submucous infiltrating (TI) carcinoma in 218 (34 [15.6%] with lymphatic metastasis). All these 420 patients have been followed up to 2001 with a follow-up rate of 94.1%. Those who were lost to follow-up were taken as censored cases. The survival rates were calculated by the life-table method. The 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-, and 25-year survival rates were 86.14%, 75.03%, 64.48%, 56.17%, and 49.93%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Esophageal balloon cytology, endoscopy, mucosa 1.2% iodine stain, and multipoint biopsy may be the best approach for early diagnosis of esophageal carcinoma. Surgical resection of superficial esophageal cancer provides excellent long-term survival with acceptable quality of life. It was discovered that carcinoma in situ and intramucosal carcinoma gave far better results than the submucosal infiltrative carcinoma, as the latter tends to have a higher frequency of lymphatic metastasis.     

Clinicopathologic characteristics of peripheral squamous cell carcinoma of the lung

Squamous cell carcinoma of the lung can be divided into two types according to the location of the primary site: the central type and the peripheral type. The clinicopathologic factors in the peripheral type of lung squamous cell carcinoma have not yet been fully evaluated. A total of 204 surgically resected lung squamous cell carcinomas were reviewed with special reference to their location, histologic characteristics based on tumor growth patterns, and clinicopathologic factors. The central type and the peripheral type accounted for 95 and 109 cases, respectively. Although the patient population of the peripheral type was older, with a lower pathologic stage, lower lymphatic vessel involvement, and lymph node metastasis, the Kaplan-Meier survival proportions did not differ significantly between these two groups. Based on the histologic growth pattern, the peripheral type was classified under three subgroups as follows: 1). the alveolar space-filling type, 2). the expanding type, and 3). the combined type. Among these three types, the alveolar space-filling type showed neither lymphatic vessel invasion nor lymph node metastasis and had the most favorable prognosis. The central and peripheral types of lung squamous cell carcinoma have different clinicopathologic characteristics and should be classified under respectively different categories.     

Expression of heat shock protein 70 in grossly resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to use immunohistochemical methods to clarify the clinical implication of heat shock protein (HSP) 70 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and to investigate the function of HSP70 as a chaperone for p53. METHODS: Seventy-one patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were admitted in the present study. Expression of HSP70 was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and correlated with TNM classification, vessel invasion, p53 expression, and clinical outcome after operation. RESULTS: Overexpression of HSP70 was related to sex (p < 0.05), tumor configuration (p < 0.05), lymph node metastasis (p < 0.01), and lymphatic vessel invasion (p < 0.05). Expression of p53 and HSP70 were not correlated with each other (p = 0.824). Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with HSP70 expression exhibited a significantly better prognosis compared with HSP70-negative esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in univariate analysis (p < 0.05), but no significance was found in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that HSP70 expression might be of use to assess the progression, lymph node metastasis, and lymphatic vessel invasion of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Inasmuch as both lymph node metastasis and HSP70 expression are prognostic variables in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, examination of HSP70 expression may be of use to assess clinical outcome after operation.     

Distinctive clinicopathological characteristics in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Esophageal cancer is an aggressive disease with a generally poor prognosis. Frequently, patients present late with obstructive symptoms indicating advanced tumors. Therefore, serial histopathological investigations of esophageal cancer are now being performed more extensively, and several distinctive clinicopathological features have been demonstrated. In this review, we present some of the distinctive features of esophageal cancer and discuss their clinicopathological significance. These characteristics include: (1) the frequent presence of lymph node metastasis, (2) the morphological features and depth of tumor invasion, (3) the synchronous and metachronous occurrence of carcinoma of other organs, (4) the frequent coexistence of squamous epithelial dysplasia, (5) the frequent coexistence of intraepithelial spread, blood vessel, and lymphatic permeation, (6) the occasional existence of intramural metastasis, (7) the frequent coexistence of multiple primary carcinomas, and (8) the occasional coexistence of glandular differentiation with squamous cell carcinoma.     

Prediction of survival with squamous cell carcinoma antigen in patients with resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Increased preoperative serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) concentrations have been found to be associated with advanced stage and poor prognosis in lung and cervical cancers. Because little was known about the significance of SCC-Ag concentration in patients with esophageal cancer, the aim of this study was to analyze the clinicopathologic significance of SCC-Ag in patients with esophageal SCC. PATIENTS AND METHODS. Preoperative SCC-Ag concentration was measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 309 patients with primary esophageal SCC. All patients underwent curative radical surgery without any preoperative therapy. In 215 of 309 patients, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was also measured to compare clinical significance of CEA with that of SCC-Ag. The prognostic significance for survival of SCC-Ag concentrations was studied with multivariate analysis with Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: The SCC-Ag concentration and the positivity rate of SCC-Ag were significantly elevated in patients associated with tumor progression. Statistically significant differences in SCC-Ag concentrations and SCC-Ag positivity rates were observed depending on tumor size, tumor depth, lymph node status, and distant metastasis. Although CEA was not a prognostic factor (P =.21), a high SCC-Ag concentration was a significant prognostic factor (P <.01). Multivariate analyses indicated that T factor had the best predictive power, but SCC-Ag concentration contained additional, independent prognostic information. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that preoperative serum SCC-Ag concentrations might provide a predictive information for tumor progression and survival in patients with esophageal SCC.     

胸段食管鳞癌患者的喉返神经旁淋巴结转移特点

目的探究胸段食管鳞癌患者的喉返神经旁淋巴结转移特点。 方法回顾性分析福建协和医院胸外科2012年1月至2015年12月间收治的行胸腹腔镜联合食管癌切除术的294例胸段食管鳞癌患者的喉返神经旁淋巴结清扫及转移情况,并分析喉返神经旁淋巴结转移特点。 结果294例行喉返神经旁淋巴结清扫的患者中,有88例患者有喉返神经旁淋巴结转移,转移率为29.93%;共清扫喉返神经旁淋巴结1 899枚,转移淋巴结145枚,转移度为7.64%。胸段食管鳞癌患者左、右喉返神经旁淋巴结转移与肿瘤浸润深度、分化程度、脉管瘤栓均有显著相关性(P<0.05),但与性别、年龄、肿瘤部位无显著相关性(P>0.05)。 结论胸段食管鳞癌患者易发生喉返神经旁淋巴结转移。对于肿瘤浸润程度大、分化程度差、有脉管瘤栓的胸段食管鳞癌患者,应重视左、右两侧喉返神经旁淋巴结清扫。     

Clinicopathologic features of peripheral squamous cell carcinoma of the lung

Background

The clinicopathologic features are still unknown in peripheral squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, unlike centrally located carcinomas. In this retrospective study, we investigated the clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with peripheral squamous cell carcinomas.

Methods

Of 1,381 primary lung carcinomas surgically resected at the National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, from 1995 through 2001, 70 (5.1%) peripheral squamous cell carcinomas of 3.0 cm or less in diameter were studied retrospectively in terms of clinicopathologic characteristics such as age, sex, past history, smoking, tumor size, mode of operation, extent of lymph node dissection, pathologic lymph node status, mode of recurrence, and cause of death.

Results

These patients ranged in age from 49 to 82 years, with a mean age of 69.2 years. Thirty-nine patients (56%) were at increased risk preoperatively. The incidence of lymph node metastasis was 25%, and larger tumors tended to be associated with a higher prevalence, although this difference was not significant (p = 0.12). None of the patients with N2 disease had skipping metastasis. Recurrence was observed in 13 patients (19%). There was no significant correlation between recurrence and the extent of lymphadenectomy or the mode of operation. The 5-year overall and disease-specific survival rates were 73.4% and 85.9%, respectively. The cause of death was recurrence in 53% and other disease in 47%.

Conclusions

We propose that mediastinal hilar lymphadenectomy should be routinely conducted as a curative operation for low-risk patients with small peripheral squamous cell carcinoma. We further propose that for patients who may have difficulty tolerating this procedure, pathologic examination of intraoperative frozen sections from the hilar node could be useful for planning a surgical strategy.