Keywords

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; esophageal dysplasia; spatial proteomics; multiplex immunofluorescence; cancer progression biomarkers; pseudotime and diffusion mapping

Abstract

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the most common and fatal type of esophageal cancer since it is usually only diagnosed at a later stage. Similar to other cancers, ESCC arises through precursor lesions which are known as dysplasias and occurs when cells have uncontrolled growth and changes to both the tissue structure and gene expression. Clinical intervention at the precancerous stage would greatly improve survival rates, however predicting which lesions will actually become malignant continues to be a challenge. The current traditional method for ESCC diagnosis is hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) histopathology, but it is not sufficient for predicting malignancy. This limitation underscores the need for a more precise approach to identify high-risk dysplastic lesions. This study uses more advanced tools like multiplex immunofluorescence and spatial biology with the aim of creating an alternative classification system for precancerous lesions that is more accurate and unbiased than current diagnostic methods. Technology like the Miltenyi MACSima, was used to analyze the in situ, single-cell expression of numerous proteins and was found to be helpful in identifying subtle molecular changes that are associated with higher malignancy risk. Overall, this study is a significant step in laying the foundation that will lead to earlier diagnosis and better outcomes for patients with ESCC.

Thesis Completion Year

2025

Thesis Completion Semester

Fall

Thesis Chair

Andl, Claudia

College

College of Medicine

Department

Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences

Thesis Discipline

Biomedical Sciences

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus Access

None

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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Rights Statement

In Copyright