手术治疗胃癌肝转移的预后分析

目的：探讨手术治疗胃癌肝转移的预后因素．方法：对25例患者临床病理特征及生存应用多元分析其与预后的关系。结果：20例行同时性肝切除，5例行异时性肝切除，1、3、5年生存率分别为84．0％，28．0％，21．0％。肝转移灶数目（孤立和多灶），转移灶分布（单叶和多叶），肝切除方式，原发灶组织学类型，淋巴结转移及脉管瘤栓与预后相关，多元分析显示多灶肝转移，原发灶淋巴结转移、脉管瘤栓是其预后独立危险因素。结论：对出现孤立转移灶、原发灶无淋巴结转移且无脉管瘤栓的胃癌肝转移患者应手术切除以获得更好的预后。     

c-erbB-2 protein expression and clinicopathologic features in colorectal cancer

Previous reports showed that breast and gastric cancers overexpressing c-erbB-2 protein have a greater metastatic potential and worse prognosis than tumors in which this protein is not overexpressed. The present study was undertaken to examine the significance of c-erbB-2 protein expression as a prognostic factor in colorectal cancer. Protein expression was examined immunohistologically in colorectal cancer tissue from 149 patients without distant metastasis, from 38 patients with liver metastasis, and from 18 patients with lung metastasis. The c-erbB-2 protein-positive rate was significantly higher in cases with lymphatic vessel invasion in the primary tumor, but it did not correlate with lymph node metastases. Expression of c-erbB-2 did not correlate with any other histologic feature (histologic type, depth of tumor invasion, venous vessel invasion, or the clinical stage). The positive rate in the primary lesion was significantly higher in cases with liver metastasis than in cases without liver metastasis, the positive rate was significantly higher in the hepatic than in the primary lesions. The expression of c-erbB-2 protein in colorectal cancer tissue correlates closely with liver metastasis but not with lymphatic or lung metastases.     

大肠癌组织中Cox-2和FasL的表达及意义

目的:探讨Cox2和FasL蛋白在大肠癌组织中的表达、相互关系及临床意义。方法应用免疫组化SP法检测60例大肠癌、20例大肠腺瘤及20例正常大肠组织Cox2和FasL蛋白的表达情况。结果:1)大肠癌组织、大肠腺瘤和正常大肠组织Cox2表达阳性率分别为78.3%(47/60)、55.0%(11/20)和25.0%(5/20),Cox2在大肠癌组织中阳性表达率显著高于腺瘤组织及正常大肠组织阳性表达率,P=0.000。大肠癌、大肠腺瘤和正常大肠组织阳性表达率分别为86.7%(52/60)、50.0%(10/20)和20.0%(4/20)FasL在大肠癌组织中阳性表达率显著高于腺瘤组织及正常组织,P=0.000。2)Cox2和FasL的表达与肿瘤组织学分级及肿瘤生长部位无关Cox2与肿瘤Duke’s分期和淋巴结转移有相关性,P值分别为0.0.25和0.006。Cox2的表达与肿瘤大小有关,P=0.005。3)大肠癌组织中Cox2与FasL蛋白的表达为正相关性,r=0.627,P=0.000。结论:大肠癌组织中Cox2和FasL高表达,两者之间的表达强度有等级相关性。Cox2蛋白可通过诱导FasL蛋白的表达上调,增加大肠癌细胞侵袭力,从而成为其促进癌细胞浸润、转移的途径之一。     

表皮-钙黏附素和Snail蛋白的表达与大肠癌侵袭转移及预后的关系

目的 研究表皮-钙黏附素(E-CD)和Snail蛋白在大肠癌组织中的表达及其与大肠癌侵袭、转移和预后之间的关系.方法 采用免疫组化EnVision法,检测E-CD和Snail蛋白在30例正常大肠黏膜、30例大肠腺瘤及142例大肠癌组织中的表达.结果 E-CD蛋白在正常大肠黏膜组织中的强阳性表达率为90.0%,明显高于其在大肠腺瘤和大肠癌组织中的强阳性表达率(63.3%和41.5%,P<0.05).Snail蛋白在大肠癌组织中的阳性表达率为52.1%,明显高于其在正常大肠黏膜和大肠腺瘤组织中的阳性表达率(6.7%和26.7%,P<0.05).E-CD蛋白的表达与大肠癌的分化程度、浸润深度、静脉侵犯、淋巴管侵犯、淋巴结转移以及Duke's分期有关(均P<0.05),而与患者的年龄、性别、肿瘤大小以及病理组织学类型无关(均P0.05).Snail蛋白的表达与大肠癌的分化程度、浸润深度、静脉侵犯、淋巴管侵犯、淋巴结转移、病理组织学类型以及Duke's分期有关(均P<0.05),而与患者的年龄、性别以及肿瘤大小无关(均P>0.05).E-CD蛋白与Snail蛋自在大肠癌组织中的表达呈负相关(r=-0.508).E-CD蛋白阳性表达者的术后1、3和5年生存率明显高于阴性表达者(P<0.05),Snail蛋白阴性表达者的术后1、3和5年生存率明显高于阳性表达者(P<0.05).淋巴结转移、Duke's分期、E-CD和Snail蛋白的表达可作为大肠癌独立的预后指标(均P<0.05).结论 E-CD和Snail蛋白的表达与大肠癌的侵袭、转移和预后明显相关,E-CD蛋白表达降低和Snail蛋白表达增强的大肠癌患者病期晚、预后差.     

Molecular factors of 5-fluorouracil metabolism in colorectal cancer: analysis of primary tumor and lymph node metastasis

Thymidylate synthase (TS), dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) and thymidine phosphorylase (TP) are predictive markers for tumor response to 5-fluorouracil-based therapies. To determine whether gene expression values measured in primary cancer tissue would be useful for prediction of response of lymph node metastases, the expressions of these genes were quantitatively analyzed in 35 pairs of primary colorectal cancer (CRC) and corresponding lymph node metastases using real-time PCR. DPD and TP mRNA levels were significantly lower in the primary colorectal tumor and lymph node metastases compared with the normal adjacent stroma tissue (p<0.01), whereas TS mRNA levels were significantly higher in the primary tumor and lymph node metastases than in the normal adjacent tissue (p<0.001). Median gene expression levels of TP and TS did not differ significantly between primary colorectal tumor and corresponding lymph node metastasis but median DPD gene expression levels in the lymph node metastases were significantly higher compared to matched primary colorectal tumors (p=0.015). There was a significant correlation for DPD, TP and TS gene expression levels between primary colorectal tumor specimens and the matched lymph node metastasis. These results suggest that biopsies of the tumor of origin may be valid for determining predictive markers for chemotherapy response in patients with metastatic CRC.     

Expression of metallothionein in colorectal cancers and synchronous liver metastases

The aim of this study is to clarify whether the expression of metallothionein (MT) is related with the malignant potential in primary colorectal cancer and/or synchronous liver metastasis. Immunohistochemical staining for MT was performed on the specimens of adenocarcinoma of the colon and rectum and its liver metastases in 34 patients treated with curative surgery, respectively. Expression of MT was compared with clinicopathological variables and patient survival. In patients with primary colorectal cancer, positive expression was found in 7 of 34 (20.6%) patients, but MT was not detected in any of the cases of liver metastases (0%; p = 0.0111). In the primary tumor, positive MT expression was significantly associated with a higher degree of lymph node involvement (mean +/- SD: 48.4 +/- 33.8 vs. 18.6 +/- 24.4% in MT-positive and MT-negative tumors, respectively; p = 0.0122). The survival rate in the patients with MT-negative tumors was significantly better than that in those with MT-positive tumors as primary sites (p = 0.0198). MT expression in colorectal cancer may be a potential marker affecting lymph node metastases and may be a predictor of a poor prognosis, particularly in patients with synchronous liver metastases.     

Detection of thymidylate synthase expression in lymph node metastases of colorectal cancer can improve the prognostic information.

PURPOSE: The level of thymidylate synthase (TS) in primary colorectal cancer (CRC) has been reported as a prognostic marker. The purpose of this study was to determine whether TS expression in lymph node metastases of Dukes' C CRC is a prognostic marker. PATIENTS AND METHODS: TS expression in the primary tumor and lymph node metastases from 348 patients with Dukes' C CRC was retrospectively assessed using immunohistochemistry and the monoclonal antibody TS 106. The patients had all been enrolled onto our previous study of 862 CRC patients who were included in Nordic trials that randomly assigned the patients to either surgery alone or surgery plus adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: TS expression in lymph node metastases was a distinct prognostic marker in the entire study group for overall survival (OS; P = .02) and disease-free survival (DFS; P = .04). A low TS expression in the lymph node metastases correlated with a better clinical outcome. In the subgroup of patients treated with surgery alone, the expression of TS in lymph node metastases also had a prognostic value for OS (P = .04) and DFS (P = .03), but this was not the case for the other subgroup who received adjuvant fluorouracil-based chemotherapy (OS, P = .5; DFS, P = .2). The expression of TS in the primary tumor only had a significant prognostic value among patients who were treated with surgery alone (OS, P = .03; DFS, P = .03) and not among the entire patient population. CONCLUSION: These data show that TS expression in lymph node metastases is a prognostic marker for patients with Dukes' C CRC.     

TFF1和TFF3在结直肠癌中的表达与临床病理特点及预后的关系

  目的  检测三叶因子1（trefoil factor,TFF1）和三叶因子3（TFF3）在结直肠癌组织、癌旁组织及转移淋巴结中的表达,评价其与肿瘤发生、转移和预后的关系。  方法  采用免疫组织化学SP法检测65例结直肠癌、30例癌旁组织、25例转移淋巴结中TFF1和TFF3的表达,分析二者表达的差异及其与临床病理特征和预后的关系。  结果  TFF1在癌旁组织、癌组织和转移淋巴结中表达逐渐增高（26.7%,70.8%,96%,两两比较均P < 0.05）。癌组织和转移淋巴结与癌旁组织比较,TFF3表达率均有降低（100% vs. 84.6%或80%,均P < 0.05）,癌组织和转移淋巴结之间差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。TFF1在结直肠癌中的表达仅与肿瘤分化程度相关（P < 0.05）;TFF3表达与淋巴结转移及TNM分期有关（均P < 0.05）。TFF1在结直肠癌中的表达与TFF3呈负相关（P=0.014,r=-0.291）。TFF1表达水平与总生存率无相关性（P=0.639）,而TFF3表达水平与总生存率有关（P=0.045）。Cox比例风险模型单因素分析显示,浸润深度、淋巴结转移、远处转移、TNM分期等为影响预后的相关因素。多因素分析显示,淋巴结转移、远处转移、TNM分期和TFF3为预后的影响因素。  结论  TFF1和TFF3表达率与结直肠癌的发生、转移和预后密切相关。两者可能在结直肠癌的侵袭、转移中存在共同作用,相互影响。      

结直肠癌同时性肝转移患者行同期手术切除的预后分析

目的 探讨实施结直肠癌肝转移同期切除术患者的预后影响因素.方法 回顾性分析1993年1月至2003年1月间,在我院实施结直肠癌肝转移同期切除术且获得随访的44例患者的临床资料,应用Kaplan-Meier法进行生存分析,Log rank检验进行统计学比较,Cox比例风险模型进行多因素分析.结果 44例患者的1、3、5年生存率分别为86.3%、40.9%和25.0%.单因素分析显示,脉管瘤栓和区域淋巴结转移与患者术后生存有关;而性别、年龄、原发灶位置、肿瘤大体类型、分化程度、转移瘤数目以及转移瘤分布与术后生存无关.多因素分析显示,区域淋巴结转移是影响预后的独立危险因素.结论 对于结直肠癌同时性肝转移患者实施同期手术切除,可以获得较好的疗效,其中无淋巴结转移的患者疗效最佳.     

Clinical significance of E-cadherin-catenin complex expression in metastatic foci of colorectal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Reduced expressions of cell adhesion molecules (E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, and beta-catenin) has been reported to be associated with tumor metastasis. However, the clinical significance of such adhesion molecules in the metastatic foci remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated the prognostic significance of E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, and beta-catenin expressions in the metastatic foci of patients with colorectal carcinoma. METHODS: The expressions of E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, and beta-catenin were detected immunohistochemically in 105 primary tumors, in 30 metastatic lymph nodes, and 13 metastatic liver tumors from consecutive patients with colorectal carcinoma. RESULTS: Reduced normal expression of E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, and beta-catenin in comparison with normal epithelium was detected in 78 primary tumors, respectively. Patients who had tumors with reduced expression of adhesion molecules showed unfavorable prognosis and the reduced expression of adhesion molecules was detected as one of the independent prognostic factors for patients with colorectal carcinoma. In 30 patients with lymph node metastasis, the increased expression of adhesion molecules in metastatic lymph nodes compared with primary tumors was detected in 13 patients. The prognosis of these 13 patients was poorer than that of remaining 17 patients (P = 0.0296). Also, in 13 patients with liver metastasis, even no significant difference was observed, the mean survival time of 6 patients who had metastatic liver tumors with increased expression of adhesion molecules (10 months) was shorter than that of the remaining 7 patients (16 months; P = 0.1718). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that increased expression of the cadherin-catenin cell-cell adhesion system in metastatic foci may play an important role in progression of metastatic colorectal carcinomas.     

Prognostic value of nm23 expression in stage IB1 cervical carcinoma

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the patterns of nm23 expression in stage IB1 squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix, to compare nm23 expression with clinicopathological findings and to assess its prognostic value. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients with stage IB1 squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix underwent abdominal radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection. Expression of nm23 was studied immunohistochemically, followed by amplification and direct sequencing of exons 4 and 5 of the nm23 gene. RESULTS: Overexpression of nm23 was detected in 18.5% of the tumors and low expression was seen in 33.3%, while negative expression was found in 48.1% of the tumors. Deep cervical stromal invasion (> or =1/2) was found to be associated with the increased risk of lymph node metastases (odds ratio = 17.5). A significantly lower percentage of patients survived when nm23 overexpression was observed (p = 0.0063). Univariate analysis revealed that tumor size (2-3.9 cm), lymph node metastasis, tumor invasion into parametria, tumor invasion into blood/lymph vessel, squamous cell carcinoma (> or =2 ng/ml) and nm23 overexpression had a significantly lower recurrence-free survival rate of the patients. None of the above factors was significant according to multivariate analysis. There were no mutations in exons 4 and 5 of the nm23 gene in stage IB1 squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that expression of nm23 may be indicative of an unfavorable prognosis in patients with stage IB1 squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.     

Liver fatty acid-binding protein is a new prognostic factor for hepatic resection of colorectal cancer metastases.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) is reported as a biological marker for enterocytic differentiation. We evaluated the prognostic value of L-FABP expression for patients undergoing hepatic resection of colorectal cancer metastases. METHODS: The study group comprised 68 patients who underwent hepatic resection for colorectal cancer metastases between 1982 and 1996 at Niigata University Medical Hospital, Niigata, Japan. L-FABP expression was immunohistochemically studied in metastatic liver tumors and their primary colorectal cancers. The relationship between L-FABP expression and patient prognoses was statistically analyzed. RESULTS: L-FABP was positively stained in 56% (38/68) of liver metastases from colorectal cancers and in 56% (38/68) of their primary tumors. Of 68 cases, 54 (79%) showed similar immunohistochemical findings between primary and metastatic tumors. Patients with L-FABP-positive liver metastases showed better prognosis than patients with L-FABP-negative metastases (P = 0.046). L-FABP expression in primary colorectal cancers more significantly (P = 0.009) affected long-term survival after hepatic surgery. Multivariate analysis revealed that the prognostic effect of L-FABP expression in primary colorectal cancers was exerted independently and that its impact was larger than conventional pathological prognosticators. CONCLUSIONS: L-FABP expression is suitable for use as a new presurgical prognostic factor for patients undergoing hepatic surgery for colorectal cancer metastases.     

MIB-1, p53, bcl-2, and WAF-1 expression in pelvic lymph nodes and primary tumors in early stage cervical carcinomas: correlation with clinical outcome

A complete series of 40 cervical carcinomas with pelvic lymph node metastases were analysed immunohistochemically for prognostic markers. The aims of this study were to examine whether the detection of MIB-1, p53, bcl-2, and WAF-1 could be used as a prognostic marker for tumor recurrence and survival rate. During the period of observation (mean 222, range 72-360 months) 22 (55%) recurrences were encountered and 20 patients died of the disease. There were 35 squamous cell carcinomas (87.5%), 2 adenosquamous carcinomas (5.0%), and 3 pure adenocarcinomas (7.5%). One tumor (2.5%) was well differentiated, 12 tumors (30%) were moderately differentiated, and 27 tumors (67.5%) were poorly differentiated. The primary tumor grade (P=0.037) and radicality of the surgical margins (P=0.021) were significant prognostic factors with regard to tumor recurrence. The site and number of lymph nodes with metastases had no prognostic value. P53, bcl-2, and WAF-1 were not predictive factors for recurrences or the cancer-specific survival rate. The concordant expression of WAF-1 in the primary tumor and in lymph node metastases was lower than for p53 and bcl-2. The proliferative activity (MIB-1) seemed to be lower in tumor cells metastasized to the pelvic lymph nodes than in cells of the primary tumor. Expression of MIB-1 in lymph nodes was predictive of disease-free survival in both univariate and multivariate proportional hazard Cox analyses.     

Hepatic lymph node involvement in patients with synchronous multiple liver metastases of colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy for unresectable liver metastases of colorectal cancer is generally indicated to patients without extra hepatic lesions. This study was performed to examine the status of hepatic lymph node metastasis as an extra hepatic lesion in patients with synchronous multiple liver metastases of colorectal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 111 hepatic lymph nodes were removed from 33 patients with synchronous liver metastases of colorectal cancer during resection of the primary tumor at the D2- or D3- level. The frequency of hepatic lymph node metastases and factors predictive for hepatic lymph node metastasis were examined. RESULTS: Hepatic lymph node metastasis was detected in nine patients (27%): The sites were classified into three categories: (1) along the hepatic arteries in three, (2) in the hepato-duodenal ligament except the peri-hepatic arterial region in three, and (3) both in three. The serum level of CEA (p = 0.02), CA19-9 (p = 0.05), and the rate of lymph node metastasis of the primary lesion (p = 0.08) were higher or tended to be higher in patients with hepatic lymph node metastases than in those without. There was no significant relationship between the involvement of hepatic lymph nodes and the other clinicopathologic factors examined. CONCLUSION: We should note the frequency of hepatic lymph node metastasis in the treatment of unresectable liver metastases of colorectal cancer.     

Automated quantitative analysis of E-cadherin expression in lymph node metastases is predictive of survival in invasive ductal breast cancer.

PURPOSE: The tumor suppressor adhesion molecule E-cadherin is believed to have an anti-invasive role in breast cancer. Lymph node involvement is the best prognostic marker known, yet there is variability in outcome among node-positive patients. We investigated the relationship between E-cadherin expression in primary invasive ductal tumors and corresponding nodal metastases, and determined the prognostic value of E-cadherin expression in node-positive breast cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Membrane E-cadherin expression was studied by immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarrays with fluorescent-labeled antibodies. An objective method of automated quantitative analysis (AQUA) was used. AQUA uses cytokeratin to define pixels as breast cancer (tumor mask) within the array spot, and measures E-cadherin expression using a Cy5-conjugated antibody within the mask. RESULTS: We employed a tissue microarray containing 207 primary and matched nodal metastases suitable for AQUA analysis. There was no significant difference in mean staining intensity between the primary and nodal specimens (P = 0.8). A scattergram was generated which identified a subset of patients (25%) with high E-cadherin expression in nodal metastases, and this top quartile had improved survival (P = 0.028). On univariate analysis, increased E-cadherin expression in nodal metastases was strongly associated with improved survival (P = 0.007), whereas expression in primary tumors was not (P = 0.13). On multivariate analysis, nodal E-cadherin expression retained its independent association with survival, as did tumor size and HER2/neu status. CONCLUSIONS: Strong E-cadherin expression in lymph node metastases was highly predictive of improved survival. This suggests that expression of adhesion molecules at metastatic sites portends less aggressive tumor behavior.     

Kallikrein-related peptidase-6 (KLK6) mRNA expression is an independent prognostic tissue biomarker of poor disease-free and overall survival in colorectal adenocarcinoma

Members of the family of tissue kallikrein and kallikrein-related peptidases possess important prognostic value in cancer. Moreover, the oncogenic role of kallikrein-related peptidase-6 (KLK6) in colorectal cancer has been well documented so far. This study investigated the prognostic value of KLK6 mRNA expression as a molecular tissue biomarker in colorectal adenocarcinoma. For this purpose, KLK6 mRNA expression was studied in 110 primary colorectal adenocarcinomas and 39 paired noncancerous colorectal specimens. A dramatic upregulation of KLK6 mRNA expression was observed in colorectal tumors. KLK6 mRNA overexpression was associated with high depth of tumor invasion, presence of distant metastases, and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage of patients. Furthermore, KLK6 mRNA expression was shown to predict poor disease-free and overall survival independently of patient gender, age, tumor size, location, histological subtype, grade, venous invasion, lymphatic invasion, TNM stage, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy treatment. Moreover, Kaplan–Meier survival analysis revealed that colorectal adenocarcinoma patients with negative regional lymph nodes (N0) and those without distant metastases (M0) harboring KLK6 mRNA-positive colorectal tumors tended to relapse and die earlier than N0 and M0 patients with KLK6 mRNA-negative colorectal adenocarcinoma. Thus, KLK6 mRNA expression could be considered as an independent, unfavorable molecular prognostic biomarker in colorectal adenocarcinoma, with additional prognostic value in patients without regional or distant metastases.     

Correlation of Skp2 with carcinogenesis, invasion, metastasis, and prognosis in colorectal tumors

In colorectal tumors, S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2) still has numerous important questions unanswered: its expression in adenomas, its correlation with key clinicopathological indices, its association with patient prognosis, its variation in lymph node metastases, and its association with many cell-cycle regulators. To answer these questions in colorectal tumors, Skp2, cyclin A, cyclin B1, cyclin E, CDK2, and Ki67 were immunohistochemically stained in 12 normal mucosa, 36 adenomas, 11 carcinomas in adenomas, 102 primary carcinomas, and 12 paired lymph node metastases; and Skp2 was examined by Western blot in 8 pairs of normal mucosa and carcinomas. Situated in nuclei, Skp2 expression significantly increased from normal mucosa through adenoma to primary carcinoma (p<0.0001), from mild through moderate to severe dysplasia in adenomas (p=0.038), from peripheral adenoma to paired central carcinoma (p=0.0033), and from primary carcinoma to lymph node metastasis (p=0.015), and these increases were confirmed by Western blot. Expression, however, relatively declined significantly in the primary carcinomas showing deep invasion (p=0.0113), lymph nodal metastases (p=0.0268), and poor prognosis for all (p=0.0104) or stage III patients (p=0.0119). High Skp2 was also significantly linked with elevated cyclin A, cyclin B1, cyclin E, CDK2 (in primary carcinomas only), and Ki67 in both adenomas and primary carcinomas. Thus, overexpression of Skp2 is associated with colorectal carcinogenesis and late metastasis to lymph nodes, whereas relative reduction of Skp2 is correlated with local invasion of primary carcinoma.     

High expressions of galectin-1 and VEGF are associated with poor prognosis in gastric cancer patients

High expressions of galectin-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are correlated with biological behavior in some cancers. The aim of this study is to evaluate the expressions of galectin-1 and VEGF in gastric cancer and investigate their relationships with clinicopathological factors and prognostic significance. Immunohistochemical analyses for galectin-1 and VEGF expression were performed on 108 cases of gastric cancer. The relationship between the expression and staining intensity of galectin-1 and VEGF, clinicopathological variables, and survival rates was analyzed. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that 68 of 108 gastric cancer samples (63.0 %) were positive for galectin-1 and 62 out of 108 gastric cancer samples (57.4 %) were positive for VEGF. Galectin-1 expression was associated with tumor size, differentiation grade, TNM stage, lymph node metastases, and VEGF expression. VEGF expression was related to tumor size, TNM stage, and lymph node metastases. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that high galectin-1 and VEGF expressions exhibited significant correlations with poor prognosis for gastric cancer patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that galectin-1 and VEGF expressions were independent prognostic parameters for the overall survival rate of gastric cancer patients. The results of the present study suggest that galectin-1 expression is positively associated with VEGF expression. Both galectin-1 and VEGF can serve as independent prognostic indicators of poor survival for gastric cancer.     

Alterations in Hormonal Receptor Expression and HER2 Status between Primary Breast Tumors and Paired Nodal Metastases: Discordance Rates and Prognosis

Background: We aimed to evaluate the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and humanepidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression discordance in matched pairs of primary breast cancerand lymph node metastasis specimens and determine the effect of discordance on prognosis. Materials andMethods: Among all patients diagnosed with lymph node metastases from 2004 to 2007, primary tumors andpaired lymph node metastases were resected from 209 patients. The status of ER, PR, and HER2 expressionwas analyzed immunohistochemically in 200, 194, and 193 patients, respectively. Discordance was correlatedwith prognosis. Results: Biomarker discordance between primary tumors and paired lymph node metastaseswas 25.0% (50/200) for ER status, 28.9% (56/194) for PR status, and 14.0% (27/193) for HER2 status. ERpositivity was a significant independent predictor of improved survival when analyzed in primary tumors andlymph node metastases. Patients with PR-positive primary tumors and paired lymph node metastases displayedsignificantly enhanced survival compared to patients with PR-positive primary tumors and PR-negative lymphnode metastases. Patients with ER- and PR-positive primary tumors and paired lymph node metastases whoreceived endocrine therapy after surgery displayed significantly better survival than those not receiving endocrinetherapy. Similalry treated patients with PR-negative primary tumors and PR-positive paired lymph nodemetastases also displayed better survival than those not receiving endocrine therapy. Conclusions: Biomarkerdiscordance was observed in matched pairs of primary tumors and lymph node metastases. Such cases displayedpoor survival. Thus, it is important to reassess receptor biomarkers used for lymph node metastases.