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Updated: Oct 27, 2025
Isolation and Characterization of a Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Subpopulation Having Stem Cell Characteristics
Published on: May 11, 2016
Simple Cancer Stem Cell Markers Predict Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Resistance of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Kyosuke Agawa1, Kimihiro Yamashita2, Akio Nakagawa3
1Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
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.
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