Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Relevance of serum estradiol and estrogen receptor beta expression from a high-incidence area for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in China

  • Original paper
  • Published:
Medical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The striking 3-4:1 male predominance of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has not yet been well explained. Our hypothesis is that the changes in level of estrogen and/or subtype of estrogen receptor (ER) may exert a protective factor in esophageal carcinogenesis and prognosis of ESCC. Radioimmunoassay (RIA) was used to determine the serum level of estradiol in healthy cohort from high-incidence area (HIA) and low-incidence area (LIA) for esophageal cancer as well as patients with ESCC from HIA in Henan, northern China. The ERβ expression profiling during the multi-stage progression of ESCC pathogenesis was evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Both males and females from HIA had significant decreases of serum estradiol in high-risk subjects predisposing for ESCC compared to healthy counterparts from LIA (P < 0.01). Furthermore, patients with ESCC from HIA developed the lowest level of estradiol (P < 0.01). ERβ expressed in precursor lesions of ESCC and changed quantitatively and qualitatively with disease progression during the multi-stages process of esophageal carcinogenesis. High frequency of ERβ expression was correlated with less aggressive potential of clinical behavior (P = 0.012, 0.015 for lymph node metastasis and tumor stage, respectively). This study indicates that lower serum level of estradiol may represent higher predisposition for development of ESCC, and ERβ expression and/or nuclear location may predict better outcome for patients with ESCC. The present results provide clues to explain the striking gender difference for ESCC, which warrants further investigations on potential applications of estrogen or analogs in prevention of ESCC.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Pisani P, Parkin DM, Bray F, Ferlay J. Erratum: Estimates of the worldwide mortality from 25 cancers in 1990. Int. J. Cancer, 83, 18-29 (1999). Int J Cancer. 1999;83(6):870–3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Wang LD, Shi ST, Zhou Q, et al. Changes in p53 and cyclin D1 protein levels and cell proliferation in different stages of human esophageal and gastric-cardia carcinogenesis. Int J Cancer. 1994;59(4):514–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Yang CS. Research on esophageal cancer in China: a review. Cancer Res. 1980;40(8 pt 1):2633–44.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Blot WJ, Li JY. Some considerations in the design of a nutrition intervention trial in Linxian, People’s Republic of China. Natl Cancer Inst Monogr. 1985;69:29–34.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Ke L. Mortality and incidence trends from esophagus cancer in selected geographic areas of China circa 1970–90. Int J Cancer. 2002;102(3):271–4.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Holmes RS, Vaughan TL. Epidemiology and pathogenesis of esophageal cancer. Semin Radiat Oncol. 2007;17(1):2–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Li JY. Epidemiology of esophageal cancer in China. Natl Cancer Inst Monogr. 1982;62:113–20.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Sugimachi K, Matsuoka H, Matsufuji H, Maekawa S, Kai H, Okudaira Y. Survival rates of women with carcinoma of the esophagus exceed those of men. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1987;164(6):541–4.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Levi F, La Vecchia C, Lucchini F, Negri E. Trends in cancer mortality sex ratios in Europe, 1950–1989. World Health Stat Q. 1992;45(1):117–64.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Wang LY. Estrogen and progesterone receptors in esophageal carcinoma cells. Zhonghua Zhong Liu Za Zhi. 1991;13(1):23–5.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Utsumi Y, Nakamura T, Nagasue N, Kubota H, Morikawa S. Role of estrogen receptors in the growth of human esophageal carcinoma. Cancer. 1989;64(1):88–93.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Nozoe T, Oyama T, Takenoyama M, et al. Significance of immunohistochemical expression of estrogen receptors alpha and beta in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. Clin Cancer Res. 2007;13(14):4046–50.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Hoffmann TK, Bojar H, Eckel J, et al. Effects of tamoxifen on human squamous cell carcinoma lines of the head and neck. Anticancer Drugs. 2002;13(5):521–31.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Ferrandina G, Ranelletti FO, Larocca LM, et al. Tamoxifen modulates the expression of Ki67, apoptosis, and microvessel density in cervical cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2001;7(9):2656–61.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Liu MM, Albanese C, Anderson CM, et al. Opposing action of estrogen receptors alpha and beta on cyclin D1 gene expression. J Biol Chem. 2002;277(27):24353–60.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Hayashi SI, Eguchi H, Tanimoto K, et al. The expression and function of estrogen receptor alpha and beta in human breast cancer and its clinical application. Endocr Relat Cancer. 2003;10(2):193–202.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Cavallini A, Notarnicola M, Giannini R, et al. Oestrogen receptor-related receptor alpha (ERRalpha) and oestrogen receptors (ERalpha and ERbeta) exhibit different gene expression in human colorectal tumour progression. Eur J Cancer. 2005;41(10):1487–94.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Jassam N, Bell SM, Speirs V, Quirke P. Loss of expression of oestrogen receptor beta in colon cancer and its association with Dukes’ staging. Oncol Rep. 2005;14(1):17–21.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Kawai H, Ishii A, Washiya K, et al. Estrogen receptor alpha and beta are prognostic factors in non-small cell lung cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2005;11(14):5084–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Wu CT, Chang YL, Shih JY, Lee YC. The significance of estrogen receptor beta in 301 surgically treated non-small cell lung cancers. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2005;130(4):979–86.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Cheng J, Lee EJ, Madison LD, Lazennec G. Expression of estrogen receptor beta in prostate carcinoma cells inhibits invasion and proliferation and triggers apoptosis. FEBS Lett. 2004;566(1–3):169–72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Giguere V, Yang N, Segui P, Evans RM. Identification of a new class of steroid hormone receptors. Nature. 1988;331(6151):91–4.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Debies MT, Welch DR. Genetic basis of human breast cancer metastasis. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia. 2001;6(4):441–51.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Pedram A, Razandi M, Aitkenhead M, Hughes CC, Levin ER. Integration of the non-genomic and genomic actions of estrogen. Membrane-initiated signaling by steroid to transcription and cell biology. J Biol Chem. 2002;277(52):50768–75.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Pratt MA, Satkunaratnam A, Novosad DM. Estrogen activates raf-1 kinase and induces expression of Egr-1 in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Mol Cell Biochem. 1998;189(1–2):119–25.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Klinge CM, Blankenship KA, Risinger KE, et al. Resveratrol and estradiol rapidly activate MAPK signaling through estrogen receptors alpha and beta in endothelial cells. J Biol Chem. 2005;280(9):7460–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported in part by 863 HighTech Key Project (2006AA02A403), China Key Program on Basic Research (2007CB516812), National Natural Science Founding of China (No. 30700366 and No. 30670956) and Medical Science and Technique Foundation of Health Department of Henan Province (200592).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Henan Key Laboratory for Esophageal Cancer Research, The First Affiliated Hospital, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, 450052, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China

    Li-Dong Wang

  2. Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, 450052, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China

    Qi-Ming Wang

  3. Department of Internal Medicine-Oncology, Henan Tumor Hospital, 450052, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China

    Qi-Ming Wang

  4. Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Institute of Immunology, College of Medicine, Henan University, 475000, Kaifeng, Henan, People’s Republic of China

    Yi-Jun Qi, Qi Jiang & Yuan-Fang Ma

  5. School of Cancer Studies, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK

    Yi-Jun Qi

Authors
  1. Qi-Ming Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yi-Jun Qi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Qi Jiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yuan-Fang Ma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Li-Dong Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Li-Dong Wang.

Additional information

Qi-Ming Wang, Yi-Jun Qi authors contributed equally to this work.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wang, QM., Qi, YJ., Jiang, Q. et al. Relevance of serum estradiol and estrogen receptor beta expression from a high-incidence area for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in China. Med Oncol 28, 188–193 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-010-9457-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-010-9457-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation