Prognostic significance of TPX2 and NIBP in esophageal cancer

The expression of targeting protein for Xenopus kinesin-like protein 2 (TPX2) and NIK-IKK-β binding protein (NIBP) in patients with esophageal cancer were investigated. A total of 250 samples of cancer tissue and 250 samples of adjacent normal tissue were collected from 250 patients who underwent radical resection of esophageal cancer in Weihai Central Hospital from March 2011 to February 2014. RT-qPCR was used to detect the relative expression of TPX2 and NIBP. The relative expression of TPX2 and NIBP in esophageal cancer tissues was statistically higher than those in adjacent normal tissues (P<0.05). TPX2 and NIBP levels in tumor tissues with lymph node metastasis were significantly higher than those in tissues without lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). There was a significant difference in the relative expression of TPX2 and NIBP in different degrees of infiltration (P<0.05). Tissues with a TPX2 level equal to or higher than the average TPX2 level (1.465) were divided into TPX2 high expression group, while tissues with a TPX2 level below the average were divided into TPX2 low expression group. The 5-year overall survival rate of TPX2 high expression group was significantly lower than that of TPX2 low expression group (P<0.05). Tissues with a NIBP level equal to or higher than the average NIBP level (0.498) were included in the NIBP high expression group, while tissues with a NIBP level below the average were included in the NIBP low expression group. The 5-year overall survival rate of NIBP high expression group was significantly lower than that of NIBP low expression group (P<0.05). TPX2, NIBP, TNM staging, lymph node metastasis, and degree of infiltration were independent prognostic factors affecting overall survival (P<0.05). In conclusion, owing to their high expression in esophageal cancer tissues, TPX2 and NIBP are potentially important biomarkers for the evaluation of TNM stage, metastasis, and prognosis of esophageal cancer.