BACKGROUND: Esophagus carcinoma is rated among the six more common malignant neoplasias in the world. Due to its aggressive clinical presentation, squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus is well known to have one of the poorest prognoses, exhibiting high morbid-mortality rates. Molecular biology markers have been pointed out as great predictors in tumors diagnoses and staging. Angiogenesis, an essential event for tumor progression, can be studied using CD34 marker. AIM: To determine, by computerized image cytophotometric study, using SAMBA 4000, the expression of CD34 in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus and correlate the results with the clinical-pathological data (age, gender, differentiation tumor graduation, staging, size, tumor localization, depth, and lymph node metastases). METHODS: Twenty-nine recovery of sampled-tissue squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus were evaluated using immunohistochemistry staining with anti-CD34 marker. Analysis of tumor expression marker was submitted to SAMBA reading using the following parameters: labeling index and optical density. Correlations among samples and statistical analysis were possible using SPSS program. RESULTS: The average labeling index for CD34 was 73,40% + 15,20 and as for optical density was 56,10 + 23,54 pixels. CD34 doe not show significant statistical correlation with clinical-pathological features considered (age, gender, differentiation tumor graduation, staging, size, tumor localization, depth, and lymph node metastases). CONCLUSION: CD34 marker demonstrates expression in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, presenting a greater labeling index value than optical density. The respective tumor marker does not show correlation with the clinical-pathological features considered in the study.
CD34; Cytophotometry; SAMBA; Carcinoma; squamous cell
