BACKGROUND: PTEN is a candidate tumor-suppressor gene in a variety of malignant tumors. The prognostic importance of PTEN product protein (PTEN) and its correlation with clinicopathologic characteristics have yet to be delineated in patients with esophageal carcinoma. METHODS: Specimens from 97 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were used for the immunohistochemical evaluation of PTEN expression. RESULTS: PTEN expression was detected in the nucleus in 48 specimens (49.5%). There were statistically significant correlations between nuclear PTEN expression and macroscopic tumor classification, T stage, and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage (P < 0.01), indicating that PTEN expression was down-regulated by advancement of the disease process. There were no statistically significant correlations between nuclear PTEN expression and the intensity and extent of cytoplasmic PTEN expression. The 10-year overall survival rate was significantly better in patients with positive nuclear PTEN expression (n = 48 patients) compared with the rate in patients with negative nuclear PTEN expression (n = 49 patients; P < 0.01). The results of a multivariate analysis of factors that were prognostic for survival showed that AJCC stage (P < 0.05; relative risk, 2.038) and negative nuclear PTEN expression (P < 0.05; relative risk, 1.825) were significant factors indicative of poor survival. CONCLUSIONS: Nuclear PTEN expression may be a favorable biologic marker and a useful prognostic indicator in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
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Tachibana et al. (2002) studied this question.
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