Korean J Gastroenterol.  2007 Dec;50(6):370-378.

Expressions and Clinical Significances of c-met, c-erbB-2, COX-2, and IL-6 in the Biliary Tract Cancers

• Joo HH
• Song EY
• Jin SH
• Oh SH
• Choi YK

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: c-met, c-erbB-2, interleukin (IL)-6, and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expressions are considered to be implicated in the carcinogenesis and progression of cholangiocarcinoma, but the molecular pathogenesis of cholangiocarcinoma is still poorly understood. We aimed to analyze the expressions of each marker and their relationships with clinicopathologic factors. METHODS: One hundred and fourteen tissue samples were obtained from surgically resected specimens from patients with billiary tract cancer. The expressions of c-met, c-erbB-2, COX-2, and IL-6 were examined by immunohistochemically. The expression of each marker and correlations between these markers and clinicopathologic factors were analyzed. RESULTS: The expression rates of each maker were as follows: c-met 34/112 (30.4%), c-erbB-2 5/112 (4.5%), COX-2 53/113 (46.9%), and IL-6 68/113 (60.2%), respectively. c-met expression was more frequently observed in cases with invasion through the adjacent connective tissues (p=0.0263). IL-6 overexpression was more frequently observed in cases with absent lymph node metastasis (p=0.0325). Either c-erbB-2 expression or COX-2 expression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (p=0.0442). CONCLUSIONS: The expression of c-met was closely related to the invasiveness of cholangiocarcinoma. Co-expression of c-met, COX-2 and, IL-6 showed a significant correlation with invasiveness and lymph node metastasis and these could be useful marker to guide clinical outcome in patients with cholangiocarcinoma.

Keyword

c-met; c-erbB-2; Cyclooxygenase-2; Interleukin-6; Biliary tract neoplasms

MeSH Terms

Aged
Bile Duct Neoplasms/etiology/*metabolism/*pathology
Cholangiocarcinoma/diagnosis/metabolism
Cyclooxygenase 2/*metabolism
Female
Humans
Interleukin-6/*metabolism
Lymphatic Metastasis
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Invasiveness
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met/*metabolism
Receptor, erbB-2/*metabolism
Tumor Markers, Biological