Immunohistochemical MUC1 (DF3 antigen) expression of human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

MUC1 (DF3 antigen) isa member of a family of high molecular weight glycopro eteins. Recent studies have demonstrated that MUC1 is expressed in tumors o f various human organs and may function as an anti-adhesion molecule that i nhibits cell-to-cell adhesion, inducing tumor. metastasis. However, express ion patterns of MUC1 have nor yet been established in human esophageal carc inomas. In this study, we examined MUC1 expression and its histopathologica l localization in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. MUC1 immunoreac tivity was found in 17 (32.1 %) out of 53 esophageal squamous cell carcinom as, regardless of the depth of tumor invasion, vascular invasion or lymph n ode status. MUC1 expression was detected in the intramucosal part in 28.3% (15 out of 53) and in the invasive part in 32.6% (14 out of 43) of the esop hageal carcinomas (no significant difference). These observations suggested that expression of MUC1 is an early event in cancer progression, brit that it is not significantly associated with metastasis of human esophageal car cinomas.