ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the associated biomarkers influencing recurrence, metastasis and prognosis in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) after complete resection.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Tumor tissue samples of 148 patients with GIST undergoing complete resection from January 1990 to December 2008 in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were collected. The expressions of Ki-67, E-cadherin, MMP7, CD44, nm23, P53, survivin, Cyclin D1, COX-2, and VEGF in tumor tissue samples were detected by tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The association of above factors expressions with recurrence, metastasis and prognosis was examined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Log-rank test showed that Ki-67, E-cadherin, MMP7, CD44, P53 and survivin were associated to disease-free duration after complete GIST resection (all P<0.05), and the Ki-67, E-cadherin, P53 and survivin were associated to overall survival (all P<0.05). Cox multivariate analysis revealed that disease-free survival was associated with Ki-67, CD44 and P53 (all P<0.05), and the overall survival was only associated with Ki-67 (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ki-67, CD44 and P53 are closely associated with recurrence and metastasis after complete GIST resection, and Ki-67 can predict the prognosis of GIST.</p>