Abstract:

Objective To study the p18 mRNA expression in esophageal cancer patients and to analyze the relationship between the expression and pathological features of esophageal cancer,and to investigate the function of p18 gene in the growth and metastasis of esophageal cancer. Methods The cancer tissues from  34 esophageal can
cer patients (confirmed by the pathology before  and after surgery) after surgery were selected as  experiment group. The normal tissues adjacent to  cancer tissue from 34 patients and the  endoscopic biopsy tissues form 30 chronic  gastritis  patients were used as  control groups(adjacent normal group and chronic gastritis group).The expression of p18 mRNA was detected by in situ by bridization method,and  the relationship between the p18 mRNA expression and the  size of foci,the degree of invasion depth and lymph node
 metastasis were analyzed. Results Compared with adjacent normal group and chronic gastritis group,the expression of p18 mRNA in esophageal cancer group was increased (P<0.01),while there was no significant  differences between  adjacent normal group and chronic gastritis group(P>0.05);the  expression of p18 mRNA in esophageal cancer tissues was related to the invasive depth,differentiation degree of cancer tissues and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05),which had nothing to do with the foci size (P>0.05). Conclusion p18 gene does not inhibit the growth of esophageal cancer,but inhibits its metastasis. p18 gene shows higher expression in esophageal cancer,which can be considered as a marker for diagnosis of esophageal cancer.

Key words: p18;tumor suppressor gene;cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor;esophageal neoplasms