Gene-expression profiling in a patient with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

A 32-year-old man who has been an active tobacco smoker, alcohol drinker and betel nut chewer for more than 10 years was diagnosed as having esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after undergoing transhiatal esophagectomy and reconstruction with gastric graft. The pathology report indicated that the tumor had invaded the superficial muscle layer but had not metastasized to the adjacent lymph nodes. Gene-expression in the ESCC tissue was profiled by the cDNA microarray method. A total of 8354 genes were screened. Among them, 26 genes whose expression levels (fluorescence intensity) in esophageal carcinoma were more than 5 times (up regulated) those expressed in normal esophageal epithelium were selected; in addition, 28 genes whose expression levels in esophageal carcinoma were less than 0.2 times (down regulated) those expressed in the normal esophageal epithelium were selected. A search on MEDLINE of papers published from 1965 to the present revealed that only 7 of the 26 up-regulated genes and only 8 of the 28 down-regulated genes had been reported. We suggest that these characteristic genes will provide useful information for understanding the malignant nature of ESCC occurring in a young patient who has actively consumed tobacco, alcohol, and betel nut.