Abstract
The expression of sialyl Tn (STn) antigen in 180 patients with Borrmann type IV gastric carcinomas was examined immunohistochemically. The rate of positive STn staining was 32% (57/180) for the primary tumours, and this positive staining correlated well with tumour extension, lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05) and peritoneal dissemination (P < 0.01). One-third (5/15) of patients with positive STn-staining cancer cells had a high level of serum STn. Lesions with positive STn staining were related to a lower survival rate for the patients (P < 0.05). Proliferative activity of the tumour, as measured by proliferating nuclear antigen (PCNA) labelling percentage and argyrophilic nucleolar organiser region (AgNOR) count, was significantly higher (41.5 +/- 13.0%, 3.78 +/- 0.98) in the STn-positive group than in the STn-negative group (34.2 +/- 13.2%, 3.48 +/- 0.85) (P < 0.01, P < 0.05 respectively). Estimating STn antigen may be useful for predicting the likelihood of lymph node metastasis or peritoneal dissemination and the clinical prognosis for patients with Borrmann type IV gastric carcinoma.
Highlights
Pecentage and argrophilic nuckelar organisr region (AgNOR) count, was significantly higher (41.5 ± 13.0%, 3.78 ± 0.98) in the sialyl Tn (STn)-postive group than in the STn-negative group (34.2± 1312%, 3.48 ± 0.85) (P
Estimating STn antigen may be useful for prediting the likelihood of lymph node metastass or peritoneal dissemination and the clinical prognosis for patients with Borrmann type IV gastric carcnoma lK w.rc sialyl Tn antigen; Borrmann type IV; gastric lymphatic astasis
We reported that elevated serum STn klvels correlate with advanced tumour stage and a worse prognosis of patients with gastric cancer (Takahashi et al, 1993, 1994)
Summary
The 180 Japanese patients with primary Borrmann type IV gastric cancer studied had undergone gastrectomy m the National Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukluolka, Japan, from 1972 to 1990. A thorough histological examination was made on haematoxylin and eosinained preparations, and the histological classification was according to the tumournode-metastasis classifation system of the International Union Against Cancer (UICC, 1987). No patient had been given cytotoxic drugs preoperatively. Post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy was prescribed for 171 patients
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