Correlation analysis of c-myc, p21WAF/CIP1, p53, C-erbB-2 and COX-2 proteins in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal cancer is one of the most frequently occurring malignancies and the seventh leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the most common histological type of esophageal cancer worldwide. Our goal in this study was to detect c-myc, p21WAF/CIP1, p53, C-erbB-2 and COX-2 immuno-expression in ESCC. Archival formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues of 18 cases of ESCC (13 biopsies and 5 surgical specimens) were studied, retrospectively, by immunohistochemistry. p53 protein was observed in 50% of the cases, while c-myc was found in 6 of 18 samples (33.33%). All samples (100%) were negative for p21WAF/CIP1. C-erbB-2 oncoprotein and the COX-2 protein were detected in 5.5% (1/18) and 16.66% (3/18) of the cases, respectively. Taken together, our results suggest that c-myc, p53, C-erbB-2 and COX-2 proteins do not correlate with cancer stage or follow-up in ESCC as revealed by immunohistochemistry.