PURPOSE: Esophageal cancer (EC) is the 9th most common carcinoma worldwide with poor prognosis. Specific biomarkers can help predicting the development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), which can improve the assessment of prognosis. This study aimed to explore long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) ANRIL expression and its potential value in ESCC prognosis. METHODS: Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was utilized to detect lncRNA ANRIL expression in 50 pairs of ESCC and matched normal samples in order to explore the role of lncRNA ANRIL in ESCC. Moreover, the association was investigated between clinical characteristics of ESCC and the expression level of ANRIL. RESULTS: Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were significantly shorter in ESCC patients with higher expression level of lncRNA ANRIL. ESCC tissues examined showed an obvious increment in ANRIL expression when compared to normal tissues. Furthermore, ANRIL was positively related to lymph nodes metastasis, TNM stage and tumor clinical stage. Moreover, upregulated ANRIL expression was remarkably associated with shorter survival in ESCC patients,which was also an independent prognostic factor for both OS and DFS. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that lncRNA ANRIL could be a potential oncogene of ESCC. ANRIL expression might be served as another potential therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker for ESCC.
PURPOSE:Esophageal cancer (EC) is the 9th most common carcinoma worldwide with poor prognosis. Specific biomarkers can help predicting the development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), which can improve the assessment of prognosis. This study aimed to explore long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) ANRIL expression and its potential value in ESCC prognosis. METHODS: Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was utilized to detect lncRNA ANRIL expression in 50 pairs of ESCC and matched normal samples in order to explore the role of lncRNA ANRIL in ESCC. Moreover, the association was investigated between clinical characteristics of ESCC and the expression level of ANRIL. RESULTS: Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were significantly shorter in ESCC patients with higher expression level of lncRNA ANRIL. ESCC tissues examined showed an obvious increment in ANRIL expression when compared to normal tissues. Furthermore, ANRIL was positively related to lymph nodes metastasis, TNM stage and tumor clinical stage. Moreover, upregulated ANRIL expression was remarkably associated with shorter survival in ESCC patients,which was also an independent prognostic factor for both OS and DFS. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that lncRNA ANRIL could be a potential oncogene of ESCC. ANRIL expression might be served as another potential therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker for ESCC.