Esophageal cancer phospholipids correlated with histopathologic findings: a 31P NMR study

We analyzed 36 esophageal tumor specimens for phospholipid content using phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P NMR) and correlated the individual phospholipid profiles with specific clinical and histopathologic features. Among the 18 phospholipids identified in the esophageal tumor specimens, the mean mole percentage concentration of dimethylphosphatidylethanolamine, lysoalkylacylphosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidic acid, lysophosphatidylcholine (deacylated at the glycerol-1 carbon), and lysoethanolamine plasmalogen correlated with pathologic T stage, nuclear grade, or the presence of lymphatic invasion. 31P NMR produces well-dispersed phospholipid spectra and a precise determination of phospholipid relative mole percentages. These data provide a statistical correlation between histopathologic features and molecules known to play an important role in cellular activities and processes unique to malignant tissues.