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Tumoral CRP expression in thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancers is associated with poor outcomes

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Abstract

Purpose

Cancer cells reportedly produce C-reactive protein (CRP) locally within tumors. The aim of this study was to determine whether tumoral CRP is associated with clinical outcome and recurrence in thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer.

Methods

The subjects included 73 Japanese patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer (pathological Stage IIA–IV) that had not been treated preoperatively with either chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Tumoral CRP expression in resected specimens of tumor tissue was assessed by immunohistochemistry. The survival rate following surgery, the rates and patterns of recurrence, and the serum CRP levels before treatment and at recurrence were analyzed in patients with and without tumoral CRP expression.

Results

Fifty-nine percent of the study participants (43/73) were positive for tumoral CRP expression, and the remaining 41% (30/73) were negative. No significant difference in clinicopathological factors was observed between the tumoral CRP-positive and CRP-negative groups; however, patients expressing tumoral CRP showed significantly poorer survival and recurrence rates. A multivariate analysis showed that tumoral CRP expression was an independent factor contributing to the likelihood of a poor outcome.

Conclusion

Tumoral CRP is associated with a poor outcome in thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer. Tumoral CRP could therefore be an important target for the treatment of this disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan

    Toshinobu Nakatsu, Satoru Motoyama, Kiyotomi Maruyama, Shuetsu Usami, Yusuke Sato, Hajime Saito, Yoshihiro Minamiya & Jun-ichi Ogawa

  2. Department of Pharmacy, Akita University Hospital, Akita, Japan

    Masatomo Miura & Yudai Hinai

  3. Environmental Health Sciences, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan

    Katsuyuki Murata

Authors
  1. Toshinobu Nakatsu
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  2. Satoru Motoyama
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  3. Kiyotomi Maruyama
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  4. Shuetsu Usami
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  5. Yusuke Sato
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  6. Masatomo Miura
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  7. Yudai Hinai
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  8. Hajime Saito
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  9. Yoshihiro Minamiya
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  10. Katsuyuki Murata
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  11. Jun-ichi Ogawa
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Satoru Motoyama.

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Nakatsu, T., Motoyama, S., Maruyama, K. et al. Tumoral CRP expression in thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancers is associated with poor outcomes. Surg Today 42, 652–658 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-012-0147-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-012-0147-3

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