Vitamin D receptor expression and neoadjuvant therapy in esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Abstract

Esophageal adenocarcinoma carries a poor prognosis. Tumor response to neoadjuvant therapy is a key prognostic factor in patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, but is inconsistent. Identifying tumor characteristics that portend a favorable response to neoadjuvant therapy would be a valuable clinical tool. The anticancer actions of vitamin D and its receptor may have implications. In this study, 15 biopsy specimens were procured retrospectively from patients being treated for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. The tissue was immunostained for the vitamin D receptor and compared on the basis of response to neoadjuvant therapy. Tumors that did not respond to neoadjuvant therapy had greater expression of VDR than tumors that responded completely. Expression of VDR declined with tumor de-differentiation. The data suggest that a relationship between vitamin D receptor expression and response to neoadjuvant therapy is plausible.

• Authors: Ryan Trowbridge, Poonam Sharma, William J Hunter, Devendra K Agrawal
• Journal: Experimental and molecular pathology (Exp Mol Pathol) Vol. 93 Issue 1 Pg. 147-53 (Aug 2012) ISSN: 1096-0945 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 22546272 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Receptors, Calcitriol

Topics

• Adenocarcinoma (metabolism, pathology, therapy)
• Aged
• Antineoplastic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
• Esophageal Neoplasms (metabolism, pathology, therapy)
• Esophagectomy
• Female
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoadjuvant Therapy (methods)
• Neoplasm Staging
• Prognosis
• Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
• Receptors, Calcitriol (analysis, biosynthesis)
• Retrospective Studies