Quantitative Assessment of99mTc-Depreotide Uptake in Oesophageal Cancer and Precursor Conditions and Its Reflection in Immunohistochemically Detected Somatostatin Receptors

Background . Somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) are over-expressed in several tumors making it possible for imaging with labelled SSTR. A previous study showed feasibility to image oesophageal cancer with SSTR analogue 99m Tc-depreotide. Purpose . (1) To investigate expression of the SSTRs in different types of esophageal carcinoma and (2) to correlate such an expression with 99m Tc-depreotide uptake in these lesions. Material and Methods . Total 28 patients (17 with esophageal cancer and 11 with Barrett's esophagus) were examined with 99m Tc-depreotide scintigraphy. The SSTR2A, SSTR2B, SSTR3, and SSTR5 were analyzed immunohistochemically in the lesion samples. Results . Among the patients with adenocarcinoma 10/11 expressed different amounts of SSTRs, while SSTRs were absent in 5/6 patients with Squamous cell carcinoma (Sqcc). There was no correlation neither between the 99m Tc-depreotide uptake and the amount of SSTRs nor between the amount of SSTRs and differentiation grade of the tumor. Conclusions . (1) SSTRs are expressed in esophageal carcinoma and more abundantly so in adenocancer specimens; (2) in vivo 99m Tc-depreotide uptake does not obviously correlate with the immunohistochemically detection of SSTRs of different subtypes in esophageal carcinoma.