Abstract
We investigated the clinical significance of the apoptosis- related molecule expression of tumor cells in patients with advanced esophageal cancer treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Preoperative CRT reduced Bcl-X(L) expression in a significant proportion of the group responding to CRT but not in the group resisting CRT, although Bcl-2 expression was reduced in both groups. The mean survival time of the patients with cancers that lost Bcl-X(L) following CRT was significantly longer compared to those with cancers expressing Bcl-X(L). These results suggested that CRT reduced Bcl-X(L) expression, and this decrease closely correlated with the prolonged survival of advanced esophageal cancer patients treated with preoperative CRT.
Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.
MeSH terms
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Aged
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Aged, 80 and over
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Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
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Apoptosis / genetics
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Base Sequence
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Caspase 3 / genetics
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Caspase 8 / genetics
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Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
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Combined Modality Therapy
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DNA Primers / genetics
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Docetaxel
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Esophageal Neoplasms / genetics*
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Esophageal Neoplasms / pathology
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Esophageal Neoplasms / therapy*
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Fas-Associated Death Domain Protein / genetics
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Female
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Gene Expression
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Genes, bcl-2
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Humans
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Kaplan-Meier Estimate
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Male
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Middle Aged
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Prognosis
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RNA, Messenger / genetics
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RNA, Messenger / metabolism
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RNA, Neoplasm / genetics
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RNA, Neoplasm / metabolism
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Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / therapeutic use
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Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Taxoids / therapeutic use
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bcl-X Protein / genetics*
Substances
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Antineoplastic Agents
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BCL2L1 protein, human
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DNA Primers
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FADD protein, human
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Fas-Associated Death Domain Protein
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RNA, Messenger
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RNA, Neoplasm
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Radiation-Sensitizing Agents
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Taxoids
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bcl-X Protein
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Docetaxel
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CASP3 protein, human
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CASP8 protein, human
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Caspase 3
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Caspase 8