Expression of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta in human gastric carcinoma and its clinical significance / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the expression of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta (CEBPB) in gastric carcinoma tissues and its association with clinicopathological features and prognosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>CEBPB protein expression level was detected by immunohistochemistry method in resected gastric carcinomas and adjacent gastric mucosa tissues (n=81), and its association with clinicopathological features and prognosis was analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The immunohistochemical staining of CEBPB was predominantly in the nucleus with some cytoplasmic staining. As a result, 16% (13/81) of the gastric carcinomas were stained positively, whereas there was hardly positive expression in adjacent gastric mucosa tissues. There was a significant association between the expression of CEBPB and distant metastasis on univariate analysis (P<0.05). The median survival time in patients with positive CEBPB expression was significantly lower than those with negative CEBPB expression (19.4 months vs. 45.2 months, P=0.024). Multivariable analysis showed that CEBPB was independently associated with prognosis (HR=2.544, 95%CI:1.154-5.610, P=0.021).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Up-regulation of CEBPB suggests poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer.</p>

Clinical value of serum CEA, CA19-9, CA72-4 and CA242 in the diagnosis and prognosis of gastric cancer / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical value of tumor markers CEA, CA19-9, CA72-4 and CA242 in the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and sixty gastric cancer patients who had received treatment from 2002 to 2007 at the Beijing Cancer Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Blood samples were taken from patients upon admission to the hospital, and CEA, CA19-9, CA72-4, CA242 levels were detected. Statistical analysis was performed to identify the clinical value of these tumor markers in diagnosis and prognosis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>On initial diagnosis, the positive rates of CEA, CA19-9, CA72-4 and CA242 were 37.7%, 26.7%, 37.6% and 21.3%, respectively, and the positive rate of combined detection was 62.9%. CEA was more frequently positive in patients with lymph node metastasis (P=0.029); CA72-4 was more frequently positive in patients with vascular involvement and advanced stage (P=0.039, P=0.011). Multivaraite analysis showed that CA72-4 was an independent prognostic factor (P=0.012). Patients with positive CA72-4 carried a 2.147-fold increased risk of death than those with negative CA72-4. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with positive CA19-9 or positive CA72-4 had worse survival than those with negative CA19-9 or CA72-4 (P=0.006, P=0.002).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Tumor markers including CEA, CA19-9, CA72-4 and CA242 have clinical significance and prognostic value in patients with gastric cancer. Combined detection of four tumor markers can increase the positive rate. CA72-4 is an independent prognostic factor. CA19-9 and CA72-4 are associated with the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.</p>

HIWI expression profile in cancer cells and its prognostic value for patients with colorectal cancer / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>HIWI is a member of PIWI gene family and its expression is found in various tumors, indicating that it may play a pivotal role in tumor development. This study was designated to examine HIWI protein expression profile in several cancer cell lines and its prognostic value for patients with colorectal cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 270 patients who underwent surgical resection of primary colorectal cancer between January 1999 and December 2002 with a median follow-up time of 33 months were registered in the study. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens from these patients and 236 matched adjacent non-cancerous normal colorectal tissues were collected. Anti-HIWI monoclonal antibodies were generated and used for evaluating HIWI protein expression. χ(2) tests were conducted to determine the association between HIWI expression and the other variables. Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test. Multivariate analysis was performed by using the Cox regression model.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>By generating antibodies specific for HIWI, we examined HIWI protein expression in several cancer cell lines and demonstrated positive expression of HIWI in 69 out of 270 (25.6%) colorectal cancer tissues; 15 of 236 (6.4%) matched adjacent non-cancerous tissues were also positive for HIWI. Patients with positive HIWI expression in adjacent non-cancerous tissue had statistically lower overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) compared with negative patients (OS: 10.4% vs. 55.5%, P = 0.009; DFS: 10.4% vs. 55.1%, P = 0.015). For early stage group (stages I and II), patients with positive HIWI expression had significantly lower OS and DFS (OS: 57.4% vs. 79.5%, P = 0.014; DFS: 56.7% vs. 80.5%, P = 0.010). In lymph node negative group, patients with positive HIWI expression had statistically lower OS and DFS (OS: 53.0% vs. 73.5%, P = 0.037; DFS: 52.2% vs. 74.6%, P = 0.025). Multivariate analysis revealed that HIWI over-expression was a significant prognostic factor for OS (95%CI: 1.132 - 2.479, P = 0.010).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HIWI could be a potential prognostic biomarker for the patients with colorectal cancer, especially for those at early stages or without lymph node metastasis.</p>