CCR7: A metastasis and prognosis indicator of postoperative patients with esophageal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To investigate the expression of CC chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) and its relationship to the metastasis and prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after esophagectomy.

METHODOLOGY

CCR7 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. Kaplan-Meier method was performed to calculate the survival rate, Cox regression multivariate analysis was performed to determine independent prognostic factors.

RESULTS

CCR7 expression rate in T1, T2 and T3 patients was 27.3%, 64.7% and 75.2%, respectively, the difference of CCR7 protein expression was statistically significant (p=0.000). The positive expression of CCR7 in patients with lymph node metastasis was significantly higher than those without metastasis (p=0.000). CCR7 expression correlated with significantly worsened 5-year survival for all patients as well as those with T2 and T3 tumors, N0 nodal status or N1 nodal status. The result of Cox analysis demonstrated that N stage, T stage and CCR7 expression were independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONS

CCR7 expression was detected in ESCC and was found to be significantly associated with T stage and lymph node metastasis. The 5-year survival rate was significantly lower in patients with CCR7 expression in those without. Invasion, lymph node metastasis and CCR7 expression were independent factors.