Abstract

As an antagonist of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), 2, 4 and 7, gremlin1 plays a role in regulating organogenesis, tissue differentiation and angiogenesis. However, there is little information regarding gremlin1 in gastrointestinal cancer. We attempted to clarify how gremlin1 expression affects the clinical features and biological properties of gastric cancer. A total of 232 gastric cancer patients who received R0 gastrectomy at Kagoshima University Hospital were enrolled. Gremlin1 expression in gastric cancer was detected by immunohistochemical and western blotting methods. Correlations between clinicopathological parameters and gremlin1 expression were analyzed. Gremlin1 was identified in the cytoplasm and nucleus of all gastric cancer cell lines and some regions of surgical specimens of gastric cancer. One hundred and seventeen of the 232 patients (50.4%) were classified as gremlin1-positive based on gremlin1 expression. Gremlin1 positivity was correlated with shallower tumor depth, smaller tumor size, less nodal involvement and vessel invasion (p < 0.05). The 5-year survival rate of the gremlin1-positive group was 81%, which was significantly higher than the gremlin1-negative group (p < 0.01). Multivariate analysis revealed that gremlin1 was not selected as an independent prognostic marker. Gremlin1 expression in gastric cancer may be a useful prognostic marker that is involved with the BMP signaling pathway. Furthermore, gremlin1 may have clinical use as a diagnostic and treatment tool.

Highlights

  • Gastric cancer is the second most common cancer-related cause of death worldwide

  • Clinicopathological features of gastric cancer patients according to gremlin1

  • There was no significant difference between gremlin1 expression and other clinical parameters

Read more

Summary

Introduction

Gastric cancer is the second most common cancer-related cause of death worldwide. East Asian countries, including Japan, are among the most high-risk areas for gastric cancer [1]. Following the development of endoscopic instruments and diagnostic skills, the detection rate of early gastric cancer has increased, and patients are treated with less invasive surgical procedures, such as endoscopic resection or laparoscopic gastrectomy [2]. We have promising clinical results for gastric cancer in Japan. For patients with gastric cancer who undergo curative resection, postoperative relapse often occurs. The postoperative outcome of advanced gastric cancer remains poor [3]. The TNM classification consists of tumor depth, nodal and distant metastasis

Methods
Results
Conclusion

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.