Published online Jun 21, 2023. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i23.3658
Peer-review started: February 24, 2023
First decision: March 14, 2023
Revised: March 20, 2023
Accepted: May 23, 2023
Article in press: May 23, 2023
Published online: June 21, 2023
The expression status of serum and glucocorticoid-induced protein kinase 3 (SGK3) in superficial esophageal squamous cell neoplasia (ESCN) remains unknown.
To evaluate the SGK3 overexpression rate in ESCN and its influence on the prognosis and outcomes of patients with endoscopic resection.
A total of 92 patients who had undergone endoscopic resection for ESCN with more than 8 years of follow-up were enrolled. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate SGK3 expression.
SGK3 was overexpressed in 55 (59.8%) patients with ESCN. SGK3 overexpression showed a significant correlation with death (P = 0.031). Overall survival and disease-free survival rates were higher in the normal SGK3 expression group than in the SGK3 overexpression group (P = 0.013 and P = 0.004, respectively). Cox regression analysis models demonstrated that SGK3 overexpression was an independent predictor of poor prognosis in ESCN patients (hazard ratio 4.729; 95% confidence interval: 1.042-21.458).
SGK3 overexpression was detected in the majority of patients with endoscopically resected ESCN and was significantly associated with shortened survival. Thus, it might be a new prognostic factor for ESCN.
Core Tip: This study demonstrated that the expression status of serum and glucocorticoid-induced protein kinase 3 (SGK3) was high in the majority of patients with superficial esophageal squamous cell neoplasia (ESCN) and that high expression of SGK3 predicts a poor prognosis. These findings provide a new prognostic factor for ESCN.