Expression of MAGE‐1 Gene by Esophageal Carcinomas

Expression of the MAGE genes encoding tumor‐rejection antigens on HLA‐A1 and ‐Cwl601 recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes was investigated in esophageal carcinomas at the mRNA level by the semiquantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction method. MAGE‐1 and ‐2 genes, but not MAGE‐3, ‐3/‐6 and ‐4a/‐4b genes, were expressed in substantial proportions of the primary esophageal carcinomas and their metastatic lymph nodes. The proportion of MAGE‐positive samples in the primary esophageal carcinomas correlated with the T factor of the TNM classification (pT1: 2 of 12 tumors, pT2: 1 of 6, pT3: 12 of 29, and pT4: 7 of 18). These results have important implications for specific immunotherapy of esophageal carcinomas using MAGE‐1 gene product.