Objective: To observe the expression of DNA mismatch repair gene hMSH2 mRNA in esophageal cancer tissues.
Methods: This study included 32 esophageal cancer patients who received no previous radiotherapy, chemotherapy or other treatments. Within 30 min following surgical removal of the tumor tissues, specimens of the tumor, the tissue adjacent to the tumor and normal tissue at the esophageal stump (1 cmx1 cmx1 cm in size for each specimen) were obtained for examining hMSH2 expression with hMSH2 ISH detection kit.
Results: The positivity rate of hMSH2 was 46.88% in the esophageal cancer tissues, 53.12% in the adjacent tissues, and 84.38% in normal tissues at the esophageal stump, showing significant difference of the former two tissues from the normal tissue (P<0.05). No significant correlation was noted between the positivity rate of hMSH2 and such factors as the patients' age, sex, tumor size, tumor location, pathological type, histological grade, lymphatic metastasis or degree of tumor invasion (P>0.05).
Conclusion: The deletion of hMSH2 is an early event in the development of esophageal cancer.