RESUMO
AIM: To study the expression and clinical significance of Nrf2 (Nuclear factor E2 p45-related factor 2) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS: The expression of Nrf2 in 32 cases of EC tissues, 30 cases of adjacent tissues, 21 positive Lymph node tissues and 24 negative Lymph node tissues was assessed by SP immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: The main location of Nrf2 was nuclear, and the positive rates of Nrf2 in the cancer tissues was 78.13%, while that in the adjacent tissues group was 13.33%, and showed 66.67% and 20.83% in the positive Lymph node tissues and negative Lymph node tissues respectively, there was a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). The Nrf2 positive rate was closely correlated with the lymph node metastasis (P<0.05), but showed no statistical associated with age, sex, TNM stage, degree of tumor differentiation and the location of tumor. CONCLUSION: The Nrf2 has high expression in ESCC tissues, and the positive rate is closely correlated with the lymph node metastasis, The Nrf2 may play an important role in ESCC oncogenesis and drug resistence.