Expression of the g2 Chain of Laminin-5 at the Invasive Front Is Associated with Recurrence and Poor Prognosis in Human Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Purpose: Preferential expression of the g2 chain of laminin-5 in invading carcinoma cells has been implicated in tumor invasion. The aim of this study was to clarify the clinicopathological and prognostic significance of laminin g2 chain expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Experimental Design: We analyzed the association between immunohistochemically detected laminin g2 chain expression in esophageal SCC and clinicopathological characteristics, and we investigated whether laminin g2 chain is a predictor of recurrence and/or survival. Results: The cytoplasm of carcinoma cells was stained for laminin g2 at levels much stronger than those in normal esophageal basement membrane. The immunoreactivities at the invasive front were often more intense than those at the superficial layer. Sections with immunostaining signals in >30% of carcinoma cells at the invasive front, which were observed in 44 of 100 cases, were judged to be positive for laminin g2 chain. Laminin g2 chain positivity was significantly correlated with depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, advanced pTNM stage, recurrence, and recurrence within the first postoperative year. Patients with laminin g2 chain-positive carcinoma had a significantly shorter disease-free and overall survival time than did those with laminin g2 chain-negative carcinoma. Laminin g2 chain retained its significant predictive value for diseasefree and overall survival in multivariate analysis that included conventional clinicopathological factors. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the laminin g2 chain plays a key role in the progression of esophageal carcinoma and that its detection is useful for the prediction of recurrence and poor prognosis.