An immunohistochemical study of helix pomatia agglutinin binding on carcinomas of the esophagus.

In many factors affecting the biologic behavior of malignant cells, alterations in the carbohydrate composition of cell membrane glycoproteins and glycolipids are considered to underlie the changes in cell adhesion that accompany malignant transformation and the development of invasive and metastatic properties. We investigated the alterations of the cell surface glycoproteins structure of carcinoma of the esophagus cells by HPA staining. The rate of patients with positive HPA staining increases with progression of depth of carcinoma invasion and venous invasion, and the survival in patients with positive HPA was poorer than in those with negative HPA. HPA-positive cells of carcinoma of the esophagus represent high malignant potentials. The HPA staining method is available to predict the prognosis of patients with carcinoma of the esophagus.