Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24945657›Full record

ArticlePloS one2014

The prognostic significance of cancer-associated fibroblasts in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Sang Yun Ha, So-Young Yeo, Yan-hiua Xuan, Seok-Hyung Kim

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 78 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
78citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
5.2field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

78 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 121 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. PDGFR-βAging · 2021
    Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Interactions between cancer-associated fibroblasts and the extracellular matrix in oesophageal cancer.Matrix biology : journal of the International Society for Matrix Biology · 2025
    Review
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  18. Dual effect of vitamin DBMC cancer · 2024
    Article
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  20. Article

18 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Sang Yun HaDepartment of Pathology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
So-Young YeoDepartment of Health Sciences and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea.
Yan-hiua XuanKey Laboratory of Natural Resources of the Changbai Mountain and Functional Molecules, Ministry of Education, Yanbian University, Yanji, China; Department of Pathology, Yanbian University School of Medicine, Yanji, China.
Seok-Hyung KimDepartment of Pathology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea.
Sungkyunkwan University · KRSamsung (South Korea) · KRYanbian University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) are activated fibroblasts in the cancer stroma and play an important role in cancer progression. Some reports have indicated the correlation between the expression of CAF markers and adverse prognosis in several cancers. However, no reports have studied CAF phenotype and its clinical relevance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

methodsWe investigated CAF phenotype of ESCC based on histology and immunohistochemical expressions of five CAF markers such as fibroblast activation protein (FAP), smooth muscle actin (SMA), fibroblast-specific protein-1 (FSP1), platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFRα), and PDGFRβ in 116 ESCC tissue samples. Besides, we also examined the correlation of the CAF phenotype with clinical relevance as well as other cancer-microenvironment related factors.

resultsHistologically immature CAF phenotype was correlated with poor prognosis (p<0.001) and associated with increased microvessel density, increased tumor associated macrophages, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition. CAF markers were characteristically expressed in stromal fibroblast close to tumor cells and the expression pattern of 5 CAF markers was highly heterogeneous in every individual cases. Of five CAF markers, SMA, FSP1, and PDGFRα were unfavorable prognostic indicators of ESCC. The number of positive CAF markers was greater in ESCC with immature CAFs than in those with mature ones.

conclusionsOur results demonstrate that histologic classification of CAF phenotype is a reliable and significant prognostic predictor in ESCC. CAF markers have the potential to be diagnostic and therapeutic targets in ESCC.

Indexed as

ActinsAgedBiomarkers, TumorCalcium-Binding ProteinsCarcinoma, Squamous CellEndopeptidasesEpithelial-Mesenchymal TransitionEsophageal NeoplasmsEsophageal Squamous Cell CarcinomaFemaleFibroblast Activation Protein AlphaFibroblastsGelatinasesGene ExpressionHumansMacrophagesACTA2 protein, humanActinsBiomarkers, TumorCalcium-Binding ProteinsEndopeptidasesFibroblast Activation Protein AlphaGelatinasesMembrane ProteinsReceptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alphaReceptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor betaS100A4 protein, humanS100 Calcium-Binding Protein A4Serine Endopeptidases

Identifiers

PMID24945657
PMCPMC4063790
OpenAlexW1996065226

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.