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Published in: BMC Cancer 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization | Research article

Increased MET gene copy number negatively affects the survival of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients

Authors: Yanqiu Wang, Zhengzeng Jiang, Chen Xu, Hao Wang, Lijie Tan, Jieakesu Su, Xin Wang, Dongxian Jiang, Yingyong Hou, Qi Song

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Backgrounds

Since Mesenchymal epithelial transition (MET) amplification has been regarded as a potential treatment target, the knowledge of its prevalence and prognostic importance is crucial. However, its clinical pathologic characteristics are not well known in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Methods

We investigated MET gene status with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay in 495 ESCC cases using tissue microarrays. Prognostic significance as well as correlations with various clinicopathological parameters was evaluated.

Results

Among 495 patients, 28 (5.7%) cases were MET FISH positive, including 5 cases (1%) with true gene amplification. There were no statistically significant associations between MET FISH-positivity and clinicopathologic characteristics. A significantly poorer prognosis was observed in 28 patients with MET FISH-positivity (disease free survival/DFS, P < 0.001 and overall survival/OS, P = 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed MET FISH-positivity was an independent prognostic factor for DFS (hazard ratio/HR, 1.953; 95% confidence interval/CI, 1.271–2.999; P = 0.002) and OS (HR, 1.926; 95% CI, 1.243–2.983; P = 0.003). MET FISH-positivity was associated with DFS (P = 0.022 and 0.020) and OS (P = 0.046 and 0.024) both in stage I-II ESCC and in stage III-IVa ESCC. No statistical significance (DFS, P = 0.492 and OS, P = 0.344) was detected between stage I-II ESCC with MET FISH-positivity and stage III-IVa ESCC with FISH-negativity.

Conclusions

Increased MET gene copy number is an independent prognostic factor in ESCC, and ESCC might have potentially been up-staged by increased MET gene copy number. The results indicate that increased MET gene copy number is a very promising parameter, in clinical therapy and follow-up plans.
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Metadata
Title
Increased MET gene copy number negatively affects the survival of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients
Authors
Yanqiu Wang
Zhengzeng Jiang
Chen Xu
Hao Wang
Lijie Tan
Jieakesu Su
Xin Wang
Dongxian Jiang
Yingyong Hou
Qi Song
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-019-5450-6

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