Expression of hexokinases and glucose transporters in treated and untreated oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

The aim of this study was to assess the expression pattern of the high glucose affinity glucose transporters GLUT 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9 and of hexokinases I, II and III in newly diagnosed oesophageal adenocarcinoma by means of immunohistochemistry. Twenty patients eligible to undergo primary surgery and 18 patients with incomplete pathological response following induction radio chemotherapy, all suffering from oesophageal adenocarcinoma, were included in the study. The intensity and amount of positive tumour cells in the immuno-reaction (histology score (Hscore)) for GLUT 1, 3, 4, 8 and 9 as well as for hexokinase I, II and III were assessed independently by two experienced observers, blinded to the clinical results. In patients that underwent primary surgery, Hscores of GLUT8 (micro 6.7; sd3.3) and GLUT1 (micro 5.5; sd: 5.3) were significantly higher than Hscores of GLUT9 (micro 2.2; sd 1.5) and GLUT3 (micro 3.2, sd: 2.5). Hscores of hexokinase I (micro : 8.3; sd: 4.3), II (micro 5.5, sd: 4.0) and III (I 1.5, sd: 0.7) were all significantly different from each other (p<0.04). In patients that underwent radio-chemotherapy prior to surgical tumour resection, micro Hscores were 6.9 (sd: 4.4) for GLUT1, 6.8 (sd: 5.3) for GLUT3, 5.9 (sd: 4.2) for GLUT8, 3.4 for GLUT9 (sd: 2.7) and 2.3 (sd: 3.6) for GLUT 4. Hscores of GLUT1 and GLUT3 were significantly higher than Hscores of GLUT4. Finally, Hscores of patients with radio-chemotherapy for GLUT3, hexokinase II and III were significantly higher when compared to patients that underwent primary surgery.