A Study on Malignant Potential of Smooth Muscle Tumors of the Stomach by Labeling Index of Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen

Kazutaka Satomoto, Hiroshi Yamagiwa*, Nobuyuki Ohnishi

Ohnishi Hospital, *Department of Clinicalpathology, Mie University School of Medicine

The malignant potential of gastric leiomyogenic tumors was studied by clinicopathological analysis and measurement of the labeling index of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) of 47 surgically resected specimens (38 leiomyomas, 9 leiomyosarcomas including those with low-grade malignancy). An ulcerative tumor and large tumor size suggested malignancy. The labeling index of PCNA (mean±SD) was 11.5±5.4% in leiomyomas,26.3±8.2% in leiomyosarcomas and 3.0±1.6% in normal gastric proper musclelayers. Five leiomoymas showed a labeling index of PCNA over 18%, but al leiomyosarcomas had an index of more than 18%. Only one case, in which the labeling index was 37%, was metastatic and recurrent. Therefore determination of the labeling index of PCNA may be a useful diagnostic guideline to distinguish malignant from benign gastric leiomyogenic tumors.

Key words
smooth muscle tumors of the stomach, clinicopathological analysis, immunohistochemical detection, proliferating cell nuclear antigen

Reprint requests
Kazutaka Satomoto First Department of Surgery, Okayama University School of Medicine
2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Okayama, 700 JAPAN

Accepted
December 8, 1993

To read the PDF file you will need Abobe Reader installed on your computer.