BackgroundThe aims of this study were to evaluate whether HPV infection has a prognostic role in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent oncological treatment and also to compare the heat shock proteins (Hsp) 90, 27 and 16.2 and growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor (GHRH-R) expression patterns of the pre-treatment tumor biopsies with the HPV status and with the oncological response.MethodsPre-treatment tumor biopsies of 74 patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were processed retrospectively. The presence of HPV was detected by chromogenic in situ hybridization. Hsp and GHRH-R expressions were determined using immunohistochemistry. Following neoadjuvant or definitive radiochemotherapy, the patients were restaged according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. The correlation between the HPV status, response to treatment and Hsp and GHRH-R expressions were evaluated.ResultsFourteen (19%) patients were HPV-positive. These patients were more likely to respond poorly to multimodal therapy (71.4% were non-responders vs. 28.6% responders) and had shorter survival compared to HPV-negative patients (mean survival of 8 months vs. 11 months), although the difference was not significant. A significantly higher number of HPV-positive patients expressed Hsp 90 and 16.2 at high levels (93 and 79%, respectively) than at low levels (Chi-Square p = 0.019 and p = 0.031). Higher levels of Hsp expressions were associated with poorer response to therapy and worse overall survival. No correlation was found between GHRH-R expression and the HPV status, nor between GHRH-R expression and the treatment response of the examined samples.ConclusionsWe found that HPV infection was associated with poor response to oncological treatment and decreased overall survival, and therefore proved to be a negative prognostic factor in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. There was a linear correlation between levels of Hsp 90 and 16.2 expression and HPV positivity.

We believe that GERD may induce different self-protective reactions in the esophagus that result in reduced acid regurgitation or decreased reflux symptoms.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the intensity of biomarker expression and the response to radiochemotherapy in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC). Ninety-two patients with locally advanced ESCC were examined retrospectively. Pre-treatment tumor samples were stained for proteins SOUL, Hsp 16.2, Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone Receptor (GHRH-R) and p-Akt using immunhistochemistry methods. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to show the relationship between intensity of expression of biomarkers and clinical parameters and 3-year OS. A significant correlation was found between high intensity staining for Hsp 16.2, p-Akt and SOUL and poor response to NRCT. Application of a higher dose of radiation and higher dose of cisplatin resulted in better clinical and histopathological responses, respectively. Among the clinical parameters, the localization of the tumor in the upper-third of the esophagus and less than 10% weight loss were independent prognostic factors for increased 3-year OS. Hsp16.2, p-Akt and SOUL are predictors of negative response to NRCT, therefore these biomarkers may become promising targets for therapy. Furthermore, level of expression of p-Akt, weight loss and the localization of the tumor are significant factors in the prediction of OS in ESCC.

In our study trimetazidine could reduce the ischaemia-reperfusion injury, even after an unexpected ischemic period, so it is a promising drug during free tissue transfer, replantation or during revascularization procedures in the future.

Background: The aims of this study were to evaluate whether HPV infection has a prognostic role in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent oncological treatment and also to compare the heat shock proteins (Hsp) 90, 27 and 16.2 and growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor (GHRH-R) expression patterns of the pre-treatment tumor biopsies with the HPV status and with the oncological response. Methods: Pre-treatment tumor biopsies of 74 patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were processed retrospectively. The presence of HPV was detected by chromogenic in situ hybridization. Hsp and GHRH-R expressions were determined using immunohistochemistry. Following neoadjuvant or definitive radiochemotherapy, the patients were restaged according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. The correlation between the HPV status, response to treatment and Hsp and GHRH-R expressions were evaluated. Results: Fourteen (19%) patients were HPV-positive. These patients were more likely to respond poorly to multimodal therapy (71.4% were non-responders vs. 28.6% responders) and had shorter survival compared to HPV-negative patients (mean survival of 8 months vs. 11 months), although the difference was not significant. A significantly higher number of HPV-positive patients expressed Hsp 90 and 16.2 at high levels (93 and 79%, respectively) than at low levels (Chi-Square p = 0.019 and p = 0.031). Higher levels of Hsp expressions were associated with poorer response to therapy and worse overall survival. No correlation was found between GHRH-R expression and the HPV status, nor between GHRH-R expression and the treatment response of the examined samples. Conclusions:We found that HPV infection was associated with poor response to oncological treatment and decreased overall survival, and therefore proved to be a negative prognostic factor in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. There was a linear correlation between levels of Hsp 90 and 16.2 expression and HPV positivity.