Background/aim: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) contribute to resistance against neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We conducted a retrospective observational study for the relationship between the expression levels of CSC markers in biopsy specimens prior to 5-fluorouracil plus cisplatin (FP)-NAC and the pathological responses.
Patients and methods: We included 171 patients with ESCC who underwent the FP-NAC followed by radical resection. Biopsy specimens prior to the FP-NAC were obtained and immunochemically stained for CD44, CD133, and CD24.
Results: The biopsy specimens of the non-responders had the CD44high/CD24low expression at high levels, which was found as an independent predictor of not only FP-NAC resistance but also poor overall survival by multivariate analyses.
Conclusion: CD44high/CD24low expression in the biopsy specimens prior to FP-NAC may be a predictor of FP-NAC resistance and poor prognosis of ESCC patients.
Keywords: Esophageal cancer; cancer stem cell; chemoresistance predictor; neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
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