Correlation between RhoA overexpression and tumour progression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Aims. The aim of this study was to clarify the clinico-pathologic outcome and prognostic significance of RhoA in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods. Immunohistochemical staining for RhoA was performed on surgical specimens obtained from 122 patients with ESCC. Results. There were significant correlations among RhoA overexpression and TNM clinical, classification (depth of invasion, P=0.028; presence of regional, lymph node metastasis, P=0.009; presence of distant metastasis, P=0.003; staging P=0.006), lymphatic invasion (P=0.002), and blood-vessel invasion (P=0.004). The five-year survival rates for ESCC patients with RhoA overexpression were significantly lower than those in patients with RhoA under- expression (P=0.002). Conclusions. Our results demonstrated immunohistochemically that the expression of RhoA protein appeared to be correlated with tumour progression of ESCC. Patients with RhoA overexpression tended to have poor prognosis compared with patients with RhoA under- expression. (c) 2004 Etsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.