Association Between CDK4/CDK6 Expression and Prognosis in Patients with Adenocarcinoma of Gastroesophageal Junction.

PURPOSE

Limited data are available on the relationship between expression of CDK4/CDK6 and prognosis in patients with adenocarcinoma of gastroesophageal junction (AEG).

METHODS

A total of 135 patients diagnosed with AEG and treated with esophagogastrostomy were included in this study. Protein expression of CDK4 and CDK6 was assayed by immunohistochemistry staining and scored by two experienced pathologists. Differences in clinicopathologic parameters were analyzed between CDK4/CDK6-positive and -negative groups by Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. The prognostic significance of CDK4/CDK6 in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test.

RESULTS

The positive rates of CDK4 and CDK6 in AEG tissues were significantly higher than in adjacent tissues. CDK4 positivity was correlated with poor tumor differentiation, and CDK6 positivity was related to perineural invasion and poor tumor differentiation. There were no significant differences between CDK4/CDK6 expression and OS or PFS of AEG patients.

CONCLUSION

CDK4/CDK6 may serve as prognostic factors for poor tumor differentiation, and CDK6 may also be a prognostic marker of perineural invasion for AEG patients.