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Relationship of C‐ erb B‐2 protein expression and gene amplification to invasion and metastasis in human gastric cancer
Author(s) -
Mizutani Takashi,
Onda Masahiko,
Tokunaga Akira,
Yamanaka Nobuaki,
Sugisaki Yuuichi
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19931001)72:7<2083::aid-cncr2820720705>3.0.co;2-1
Subject(s) - metastasis , cancer , medicine , adenocarcinoma , immunohistochemistry , cancer research , gene duplication , cancer cell , pathology , biology , gene , biochemistry
Abstract Background . Amplification and/or overexpression of the C‐ erb B‐2 gene has been demonstrated in breast and gastric cancer and is thought to be involved in the process of gastric cancer metastasis. Methods . The expression of C‐ erb B‐2 protein in human gastric cancer was examined by immunohistochemistry and amplification of the C‐ erbB ‐2 gene by Southern blot hybridization. Results . C‐ erb B‐2 protein was located on the cell membrane of cancer cells in formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded sections. Fourteen percent of specimens were positive for C‐erb B‐2, and no positive reaction was evident in noncancerous tissue. The presence of C‐ erb B‐2 in gastric cancer was correlated with the depth of invasion, histologic type, growth pattern, and presence of liver metastasis. C‐ erb B‐2 was found more often in advanced cancers ( P < 0.05), papillary adenocarcinoma ( P < 0.01), nonscirrhous cancer ( P < 0.05), and cancers with liver metastasis ( P < 0.01). The incidence of C‐ erb B‐2 positivity in lymph nodes with metastasis was higher than in primary sites ( P < 0.01) and was significantly higher in differentiated adenocarcinoma ( P < 0.01). Patients with C‐ erb B‐2–positive tumors had poorer survival rates those with C‐ erb B‐2–negative tumors in the early stages ( P < 0.001), but not in the advanced stages. Amplification of the C‐ erb B‐2 gene was detected at the primary site and in metastatic nodes in the same case, and expression of the protein was also evident. Conclusions . The expression and/or gene amplification of C‐ erb B‐2 is related to invasion and nodal involvement in differentiated adenocarcinoma of the human stomach.