Expression of Cd44s in Advanced Stage Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinomas and Other Clinicopathological Prognostic Factors

Abstract

CD44s is an adhesion molecule which is a member of the cell adhesion molecules family hyaladherins. CD44s has some effects including tumor-endothel interaction, cell motility and migration, cell adhesion and tumor invasion, tumor progression, and metastasing. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the CD44s expression and some other prognostic factors in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Between 1999 and 2004, pathological specimens of 35 patients were examined by the Yuzuncu Yil University (YYU) Medical Faculty, Pathology Department and other clinical and laboratory findings were collected from Oncology Department patient files. CD44s staining was positive in 32 patients and negative in 3. The intensity of stained CD44s was positive in 30 and negative in 5 patients. Thirteen patients were well-differentiated, 18 were mid-differentiated, and 4 were poorly differentiated. Inflamatuary reactions were observed in 23 cases. The median survival was 5.3 months and the one year, two year and five year survival rates were 34.2%, 8.6% and 2.9% respectively. Treatment modality, clinical stage and tumour size at the diagnosis time was significant at univariate analysis and only treatment modality was significant in multivariate analysis. Very high CD44s expression was observed in sq cell osephageal cancer patients. CD44s may be an important marker in prognosis. Treatment modality was found as an independent factor on prognosis of osephageal cancer.