GENETIC ALTERATIONS IN ESOPHAGEAL CANCER AND THEIR RELEVANCE TO ETIOLOGY AND PATHOGENESIS - A REVIEW

Cancer of the esophagus exists in 2 main forms with different etiologi cal and pathological characteristics-squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (ADC). This review focuses on the occurrence of geneti c alterations in SSC and ADC of the esophagus and on their possible im plications for the elucidation of the etiology and pathogenesis of the se cancers. The most common alterations found in esophageal cancers in clude allelic losses at chromosomes 3p, 5q, 9p, 9q, 13q, 17p, 17q and 18q, as well as mutations of p53 (mostly missense), Rb (deletions), cy clin DI (amplifications) and c-myc (amplifications). The sequence of o ccurrence of these alterations with respect to histopathological tumor progression is discussed. Our findings underscore the different etiol ogy and pathogenesis of SCC vs. ADC and suggest that the genetic alter ations observed may represent molecular fingerprints of critical risk involved in the development of these 2 cancers. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, I nc.