The Expression Of LIV-1 Protein In Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma And Clinical Significance

Purpose: To detect the expression of LIV-1 protein in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)by immunohistochemical staining and explore the relationships between LIV-1 protein and clinicopathological parameters of the patients.which may serve as a potential target for the diagnosis,therapy and prognosis of ESCC.Methods :(1)123 tissues of esophageal cancer after radical surgery were collected in the pathological department from January 2012 to December 2013.(2)36 cases of normal esophageal epithelium(distance esophageal squamous cell carcinoma greater than 5cm)were selected as a control.(3)All the tissues were divided into 61 cases in lymph node positive and 62 cases in negative group according to the seventh edition of UICC TNM staging in 2010.(4)The expression of LIV-1 protein was detected by immunohistochemistry(SP method).(4)SPSS 20.0 statistical software was used to analyze the relationship between the clinicopathological factors and prognosis of ESCC.Results:(1)During the median follow-up time of 21(10,33.5)months,111 patients(90.2%)were survived,which include 55 cases(90.2%)in the positive group and 56 cases(90.3%)in the negative group,while 100(90.1%)patients died.(2)The long-term prognosis of the positive group was better than the negative group(Log-rank P <0.001).After 10(8,13.0)months of the median follow-up time,55 patients(88.7%)were survived,which include 32 cases(88.9%)in lymph node N <3 group and 23(88.5%)cases the other.55 patients(100%)died during the follow-up.(3)There was no significant difference in the long-term prognosis of lymph node N <3 group and lymph node N≥3 group(Log-rank P= 0.581).(4)The results from the Single factor COX analysis suggested that lymph node metastasis and high protein expression were the main influencing factors of all-cause death in ESCC.The risk of high expression of LIV-1 was 1.444 times higher than the low expression group(HR 2.444,95% CI 1.619-3.689,P <0.001).Multivariate regression analysis(lymph node metastasis,sex,age,protein expression,T stage included in the model)suggested that the risk of high expression of LIV-1 was 1.242 times higher than the low expression group(HR 2.242,95% CI 1.407-3.572,P =0.001).Conclusions:(1)This study suggests that LIV-1 protein plays an important role in the process of lymph node metastasis of esophageal squamo us cell carcinoma,but it is not correlated with the number of lymph node metastasis,sex and age;(2)LIV-1 over-expression may be an independent factor in the prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.