Characteristics of gastric neuroendocrine tumors and the PDX-1 transcription factor expression

Abstract

To study the features of gastric neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and the diagnostic and prognostic significance of PDX-1 expression in them. 207 NETs identified in 56 men and 115 women (59 had multiple NETs), and 94 cases of gastric cancer (comparison group) were studied morphologically and immunohistochemically. In more than half of the cases (54.93%), NETs were localized in the body of the stomach; the cardiac and antral parts of the stomach accounted for 8.64% and 11.73%, respectively. NETs of the cardiac region predominated in men, and of the body and antrum - in women. NETs of the cardiac region predominated in men, and of the body and antrum - in women. The vast majority of NETs were highly differentiated (89.20%), of which Grade 1, 2 and 3 were 55.41%, 40.76% and 3.82%, respectively. Neuroendocrine carcinomas (NEC) accounted for 10.80% of all NET cases. NECs were more often localized in the cardiac part of the stomach and accounted for 35.71% of all NETs in the cardiac part. The share of NEC among all NETs of the antrum was 15.79%, of the body of the stomach - only 3.37%. Metastases were found in 17.90% of NETs. Expression of PDX-1 was detected in 44.73% of NETs, 70% of NECs and 74.50% of gastric cancers. PDX-1 is involved in the mechanisms of precancerous and cancerous lesions of the stomach and its overexpression is detected in the majority of the most malignant NETs and gastric cancers.