Significance of Immunohistochemical Findings of PCNA, Laminin, p53, nm23 and c-erbB-2 for High Risk Factors in Lymph Node Metastases in Early Gastric Cancer

Takashi Shiroko, Shigetoyo Saji, Daizou Hukada, Kiichi Miya, Takao Umemoto, Katsuyuki Kunieda, Yasuyuki Sugiyama, Hiroshi Takao, Motohisa Kato, Midori Nagata

Second Department of Surgery, Gifu University School of Medicine

The expression of PCNA, laminin (LN), p53, nm23 and c-erbB-2 detected by immunohistochemical staining was investigated by using paraffin-embedded specimens obtained from 25 (m, 2; sm, 23) early gastric cancer patients with lymph node metastasis (n+) for 16 years starting in 1977 and compared with those of 56 (m, 44; sm, 12) early gastric cancer patients without lymph node metastasis n(-) for 3 years starting in 1982. The PCNA labeling index of n(+) was 53.0±20.0% on average, which was significantly higher than that of n(-), 35.0±21.4%. The rates of positive nm23 and c-erbB-2 of n(+)were significantly higher than those of n(-), while, there was no significant difference in the rates of positive laminin and p53 between n(+) and n(-). As a conclusion, it is suggested that the investigation of PCNA, nm23 and c-erbB-2 in early gastric cancer might be important in predicting tumor behavior and screening of the patients as a higher risk factor in lymph node metastases.

Key words
early gastric cancer, lymph node metastases, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, nm23, c-erbB-2

Reprint requests
Takashi Shiroko Second Department of Surgery, Gifu University School of Medicine
40 Tsukasa-machi, Gifu-city, 500 JAPAN

Accepted
September 11, 1996

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