Is bone mineral density a prognostic factor in postmenopausal women with luminal A breast cancer?

Purpose@#Several studies are concerned about the association between bone mineral density (BMD) and the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, but it is controversial. Therefore, we evaluated whether BMD might be a risk factor for recurrences, or metastases in menopausal luminal A breast cancer patients. @*Methods@#In this retrospective study, data of 348 patients with luminal A breast cancer who received treatment at Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital between 2012 and 2016 were analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups: normal BMD and low BMD including osteopenia or osteoporosis in preoperative examination. Patients were also divided into three groups according to BMD changes: no change in BMD; improvement in BMD, and deterioration in BMD. Events were defined as recurrence, occurrence of contralateral breast cancer, and metastasis to any other organ. @*Results@#Preoperative examination revealed normal BMD in 129 of 348 patients and low BMD in 219 patients. During a median follow-up period of 78 months, only 14 patients (4.0%) experienced recurrences, distant metastases, or occurrences of contralateral breast cancer. Five-year disease-free survival rate was 98.2% for 219 patients with low BMD and 95.0% for 129 patients with normal BMD (P=0.33). Disease-free survival at 5 years was 97.0% for the no change in the BMD group, 94.6% for the BMD improvement group, and 98.4% for the BMD deterioration group (P=0.79). @*Conclusion@#In this study, BMD had no statistically significant associations on recurrences, metastases, or incidences of contralateral breast cancer in postmenopausal patients with luminal A breast cancer.

Standardized Pathology Report for Breast Cancer / 한국유방암학회지

Given the recent advances in management and understanding of breast cancer, a standardized pathology report reflecting these changes is critical. To meet this need, the Breast Pathology Study Group of the Korean Society of Pathologists has developed a standardized pathology reporting format for breast cancer, consisting of ‘standard data elements,’ ‘conditional data elements,’ and a biomarker report form. The ‘standard data elements’ consist of the basic pathologic features used for prognostication, while other factors related to prognosis or diagnosis are described in the ‘conditional data elements.’ In addition to standard data elements, all recommended issues are also presented. We expect that this standardized pathology report for breast cancer will improve diagnostic concordance and communication between pathologists and clinicians, as well as between pathologists inter-institutionally.

Standardized Pathology Report for Breast Cancer / 한국유방암학회지

Given the recent advances in management and understanding of breast cancer, a standardized pathology report reflecting these changes is critical. To meet this need, the Breast Pathology Study Group of the Korean Society of Pathologists has developed a standardized pathology reporting format for breast cancer, consisting of ‘standard data elements,’ ‘conditional data elements,’ and a biomarker report form. The ‘standard data elements’ consist of the basic pathologic features used for prognostication, while other factors related to prognosis or diagnosis are described in the ‘conditional data elements.’ In addition to standard data elements, all recommended issues are also presented. We expect that this standardized pathology report for breast cancer will improve diagnostic concordance and communication between pathologists and clinicians, as well as between pathologists inter-institutionally.

Are the Outcomes of Breast Conservation Surgery Inferior to Those of Mastectomy in Patients with Stage II-IIIA Triple-Negative Breast Cancer?

Purpose@#Breast conserving surgery (BCS) is generally not considered for breast cancer because of concerns about the poor prognosis of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). We assessed the outcomes of BCS and mastectomy for patients with stage II-IIIA TNBC. @*Methods@#The data of 172 breast cancer patients diagnosed with stage II-IIIA TNBC who underwent treatment at Pusan National University Hospital and Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital from 2010 to 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into the following two groups: patients who underwent BCS (n=101) and those who underwent mastectomy (n=71). The Cox regression model was used to examine the outcomes of both treatments. The median follow-up period was 71 months in the BCS group, and 67 months in the mastectomy group. @*Results@#The median age of the 172 patients was 51 years (range, 22-82 years). In the BCS group, radiation therapy and chemotherapy (p<0.001 and p=0.007, respectively) were performed more frequently. The BCS group had more patients with a high Ki-67 index (p=0.006), while the mastectomy group included more patients with a higher pathologic T (pT) stage (p=0.005). The 5-year loco-regional recurrence-free, disease-free, and overall survival rates of the BCS group versus the mastectomy group were 93.8% versus 95.3%, 89.8% versus 90.7%, and 90.8% versus 86.3%, respectively, but the differences were not statistically significant. Lymphovascular invasion was a risk factor for disease-free survival and advanced stage was an important risk factor for overall survival. @*Conclusion@#In stage II-IIIA TNBC, BCS was not inferior to mastectomy in locoregional recurrence rates, disease-free survival rates, or overall survival rates.

Standardized pathology report for breast cancer

Given the recent advances in management and understanding of breast cancer, a standardized pathology report reflecting these changes is critical. To meet this need, the Breast Pathology Study Group of the Korean Society of Pathologists has developed a standardized pathology reporting format for breast cancer, consisting of ‘standard data elements,’ ‘conditional data elements,’ and a biomarker report form. The ‘standard data elements’ consist of the basic pathologic features used for prognostication, while other factors related to prognosis or diagnosis are described in the ‘conditional data elements.’ In addition to standard data elements, all recommended issues are also presented. We expect that this standardized pathology report for breast cancer will improve diagnostic concordance and communication between pathologists and clinicians, as well as between pathologists inter-institutionally.

A multicenter study of interobserver variability in pathologic diagnosis of papillary breast lesions on core needle biopsy with WHO classification

Background@#Papillary breast lesions (PBLs) comprise diverse entities from benign and atypical lesions to malignant tumors. Although PBLs are characterized by a papillary growth pattern, it is challenging to achieve high diagnostic accuracy and reproducibility. Thus, we investigated the diagnostic reproducibility of PBLs in core needle biopsy (CNB) specimens with World Health Organization (WHO) classification. @*Methods@#Diagnostic reproducibility was assessed using interobserver variability (kappa value, κ) and agreement rate in the pathologic diagnosis of 60 PBL cases on CNB among 20 breast pathologists affiliated with 20 medical institutions in Korea. This analysis was performed using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for cytokeratin 5 (CK5) and p63. The pathologic diagnosis of PBLs was based on WHO classification, which was used to establish simple classifications (4-tier, 3-tier, and 2-tier). @*Results@#On WHO classification, H&E staining exhibited ‘fair agreement’ (κ = 0.21) with a 47.0% agreement rate. Simple classifications presented improvement in interobserver variability and agreement rate. IHC staining increased the kappa value and agreement rate in all the classifications. Despite IHC staining, the encapsulated/solid papillary carcinoma (EPC/SPC) subgroup (κ = 0.16) exhibited lower agreement compared to the non-EPC/SPC subgroup (κ = 0.35) with WHO classification, which was similar to the results of any other classification systems. @*Conclusions@#Although the use of IHC staining for CK5 and p63 increased the diagnostic agreement of PBLs in CNB specimens, WHO classification exhibited a higher discordance rate compared to any other classifications. Therefore, this result warrants further intensive consensus studies to improve the diagnostic reproducibility of PBLs with WHO classification.

Primary testicular carcinoid tumor with marked lymphovascular invasion

Testicular carcinoid tumors are very rare, accounting for less than 1% of all testicular tumors. We report a rare case of a testicular carcinoid tumor with extensive lymphatic invasion. A 42-year-old man presented with a painless, enlarged right testicular mass. There was no history of injury or discomfort in this region. Right radical orchiectomy was performed, which showed a well-defined, non-encapsulated solid white mass with calcification (7.0 × 4.5 × 3.5 cm) and absence of cystic components. Microscopic examination using hematoxylin and eosin staining of the tumor sections identified organoid, trabecular, and solid patterns with rosette formation. Extensive multifocal lymphatic invasion was observed. Immunohistochemistry was positive for synaptophysin, chromogranin, and CD56. Testicular carcinoid tumors usually show good prognoses; however, there was extensive lymphovascular invasion in this case. Thus, in the case of unusual presentation of the disease, close follow-up is necessary.

What predicts better prognosis in elderly breast cancer patients?

Purpose@#As we enter an aging society, the number of elderly patients with breast cancer is increasing. We assessed the prognostic factors for breast cancer recurrence or metastasis in patients over the age of 65 years by analyzing tumor characteristics and long-term clinical outcomes. @*Methods@#In this retrospective study, the data of 286 breast cancer patients aged 65 years and older, who underwent treatment at the Pusan National University Hospital and Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital from 2008 to 2014, were analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups: those with recurrence or metastasis and those without. Cox-regression model was used to analyze the risk factors for recurrence or metastasis. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze survival rates by the log-rank test. @*Results@#Among the 286 patients with invasive breast cancer, 43 patients (15.0%) had recurrence or distant metastasis during a median follow-up period of 61 months. Advanced stages of breast cancer and patients who are not adapted to endocrine therapy were associated with poor prognosis. @*Conclusion@#In this study, advanced stages of breast cancer and endocrine therapy were the prognostic factors for breast cancer recurrences or metastases. Early detection of elderly breast cancer generally increases the possibility of diagnosis at an earlier stage, which can lead to a better prognosis. Moreover, endocrine therapy should be administered to elderly patients who manifest favorable intrinsic subtypes of breast cancer.

Prognostic Significance of CD109 Expression in Patients with Ovarian Epithelial Cancer

BACKGROUND: Ovarian epithelial cancer (OEC) is the second-most common gynecologic malignancy. CD109 expression is elevated in human tumor cell lines and carcinomas. A previous study showed that CD109 expression is elevated in human tumor cell lines and CD109 plays a role in cancer progression. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether CD109 is expressed in OEC and can be useful in predicting the prognosis. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining for CD109 and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed. Then we compared CD109 expression and chemoresistance, overall survival, and recurrence-free survival of OEC patients. Chemoresistance was evaluated by dividing into good-response group and poor-response group by the time to recurrence after chemotherapy. RESULTS: CD109 expression was associated with overall survival (p = .020), but not recurrence-free survival (p = .290). CD109 expression was not an independent risk factor for overall survival due to its reliability (hazard ratio, 1.58; p = .160; 95% confidence interval, 0.82 to 3.05), although we found that CD109 positivity was related to chemoresistance. The poor-response group showed higher rates of CD109 expression than the good-response group (93.8% vs 66.7%, p = .047). Also, the CD109 mRNA expression level was 2.88 times higher in the poor-response group as compared to the good-response group (p = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Examining the CD109 expression in patients with OEC may be helpful in predicting survival and chemotherapeutic effect.

Identifying breast cancer patients who require a double-check of preoperative core needle biopsy and postoperative surgical specimens to determine the molecular subtype of their tumor

PURPOSE: Core needle biopsy (CNB) is a widely used procedure for breast cancer diagnosis and analyzing results of immunohistochemistry (IHC). Several studies have shown concordance or discordance in IHC results between CNB and surgical specimens (SS). A double-check (CNB and SS) is inefficient and costly to perform a double-check on all patients. Therefore, it is important to determine which patients would benefit from a double-check. METHODS: We collected the medical records of patients who underwent breast cancer surgery at Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital between April 2009 and June 2018 (n = 620). Molecular subtypes were classified as follows by hormone receptors (HR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2): HR+/HER2+, HR+/HER2−, HR−/HER2+, HR−/HER2−. Clinicopathological factors including age, obesity, histological grade, preoperative CEA, CA15-3, T stage, N stage, and menopausal status were assessed to determine whether they were associated with subtype change. RESULTS: Increasing histological grade (P < 0.001; odds ratio [OR], 3.693; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.941–7.025), preoperative CEA ≥ 5 ng/mL (P =0.042; OR, 2.399; 95% CI, 1.009–5.707) and higher T stage (P = 0.015; OR, 2.241; 95% CI, 1.152–4.357) were significantly associated with subtype change. On multivariable analyses, subtype changes were more common in high-grade breast cancer (P < 0.001; OR, 1.077; 95% CI, 1.031–1.113) and CEA ≥ 5 (P = 0.032; OR, 2.658; 95% CI, 1.088–6.490). CONCLUSION: Patients with moderate- to high-grade tumors or CEA ≥ 5 ng/mL are required a double-check to determine the molecular subtype of breast cancer.

Urinary transglutaminase 2 as a potent biomarker to predict interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy of kidney allograft during early posttransplant period in deceased donor kidney transplantation

PURPOSE: Transglutaminase type 2 (TG2) is an extracellular matrix crosslinking enzyme with a pivotal role in kidney fibrosis. We tested whether quantification of urinary TG2 may represent a noninvasive method to estimate the severity of kidney allograft fibrosis. METHODS: We prospectively collected urine specimens from 18 deceased donor kidney transplant recipients at 1-day, 7-day, 1-month, 3-month, and 6-month posttransplant. In addition, kidney allograft tissue specimens at 0-day and 6-month posttransplant were sampled to analyze the correlation of urinary TG2 and kidney allograft fibrosis. RESULTS: Thirteen recipients had increased interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IFTA) scores at the 6-month protocol biopsy (IFTA group). The mean level of urinary TG2 in the IFTA group was higher compared to that of 5 other recipients without IFTA (no IFTA group). Conversely, the mean level of urinary syndecan-4 in the IFTA group was lower than levels in patients without IFTA. In the IFTA group, double immunofluorescent staining revealed that TG2 intensity was significantly upregulated and colocalizations of TG2/heparin sulfate proteoglycan and nuclear syndecan-4 were prominent, usually around tubular structures. CONCLUSION: Urinary TG2 in early posttransplant periods is a potent biomarker for kidney allograft inflammation or fibrosis.

Contralateral Internal Mammary Lymphadenopathy Mimicking Metastasis in a Patient with a History of Breast Cancer and Prior Interstitial Mammoplasty by Paraffin Injection: MRI, PET-CT, and Pathological Findings

Foreign body injections into breasts may produce foreign body reactions, fibrosis, and local swelling of involved lymph nodes, which can be misdiagnosed as metastasis or malignancy. Here, the authors report MR imaging, PET-CT imaging, and pathologic findings of contralateral internal mammary lymphadenopathy suspicious of breast cancer metastasis in a 58-year-old woman with history of left breast cancer, and previous interstitial mammoplasty by paraffin injection in both breasts.

A rare case of multiple pituitary adenomas in an adolescent Cushing disease presenting as a vertebral compression fracture

Cushing disease in children and adolescents, especially with multiple pituitary adenomas (MPAs), is very rare. We report 17-year-old boy with MPAs. He presented with a vertebral compression fracture, weight gain, short stature, headache, and hypertension. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), only a left pituitary microadenoma was found. After surgery, transient clinical improvement was observed but headache and hypertension were observed again after 3 months later. Follow-up MRI showed a newly developed right pituitary microadenoma 6 months after the surgery. The need for careful clinical and radiographic follow-up should be emphasized in the search for potential MPAs in patients with persistent Cushing disease.

Expression of Myxovirus Resistance A (MxA) Is Associated with Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2)–Positive Breast Cancers / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The prognostic significance of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) has been determined in breast cancers. Interferons can affect T-cell activity through direct and indirect mechanisms. Myxovirus resistance A (MxA) is an excellent marker of interferon activity. Here,we evaluated TILs and MxA expression in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)–positive breast cancers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety cases of hormone receptor (HR)+/HER2+ tumors and 78 cases of HR–/HER2+ tumors were included. The TILs level was assessed using hematoxylin and eosin–stained full face sections, and MxA expressionwas evaluated by immunohistochemistrywith a tissue microarray. RESULTS: MxA protein expression was significantly higher in tumors with high histologic grade (p=0.023) and high levels of TILs (p=0.002). High levels of TILs were correlated with high histological grade (p=0.001), negative lymphovascular invasion (p=0.007), negative lymph node metastasis (p=0.007), absence of HR expression (p < 0.001), abundant tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) around ductal carcinoma in situ (p=0.018), and abundant TLSs around the invasive component (p < 0.001). High levels of TILs were also associated with improved disease-free survival, particularly in HR–/HER2+ breast cancers. However, MxA was not a prognostic factor. CONCLUSION: High expression of MxA in tumor cells was associated with high levels of TILs in HER2-positive breast cancers. Additionally, a high level of TILs was a prognostic factor for breast cancer, whereas the level of MxA expression had no prognostic value.

Stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy under lateral decubitus position

PURPOSE: Stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VAB) has been established as a standard method for histological diagnosis of microcalcification or nonpalpable breast lesions on mammography. Generally, the procedure has been done under the prone position or upright sitting position. We herein attempt to evaluate clinical utility of Stereotactic VAB under lateral decubitus position. METHODS: One hundred six women (mean age, 51.2 years) with mammographically detected microcalcification underwent lateral decubitus positioning VAB using the 8G probe. In all cases, we obtained mammography specimens for identification of microcalcification and postprocedure mammography. We reviewed mean procedure time, pieces of specimen, pathology and follow-up mammography. RESULTS: The procedure took approximately 20 minutes (range, 15-24 minutes). Average number of obtained specimens was 8.5 pieces (range, 6-12 pieces). Microcalcifications were confirmed in both specimen mammography and microscopic slides. Of 106 cases, 10 cases were diagnosed as ductal carcinoma in situ. Additional surgical management was performed. Atypical ductal hyperplasias were found in 8 cases, and fibrocystic changes in 88 cases. CONCLUSION: Stereotactic VAB using the 8G probe under lateral decubitus position does not need a dedicated table, and is easier to maintain the position. Also, this procedure is accurate and safe. Thus, stereotactic VAB using the 8G probe under lateral decubitus position will be a useful method for diagnosis of microcalcification or nonpalpable breast lesions on mammography.

The Role of TWIST in Ovarian Epithelial Cancers

BACKGROUND: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is associated with tumor hypoxia. EMT is regulated, in part, by the action of TWIST, which inhibits of E-cadherin expression and may interfere with the p53 tumor-suppressor pathway. METHODS: We examined the expression of TWIST, E-cadherin, hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF1alpha), and p53 by immunohistochemistry in 123 cases of ovarian epithelial cancers (OEC) to evaluate the role of TWIST in OEC. We assessed the association between protein expression and clinicopathologic parameters. RESULTS: The expression of TWIST, E-cadherin, HIF1alpha, and p53 proteins was found in 28.5%, 51.2%, 35.0%, and 29.3% of cases, respectively. TWIST expression was associated with higher histologic grade and unfavorable survival. TWIST expression was correlated with HIF1alpha expression and reduced E-cadherin expression. The altered HIF1alpha/TWIST/E-cadherin pathway was associated with lower overall survival (OS), while the co-expression of TWIST and p53 was correlated with lower progression-free survival. In the multivariate analyses, TWIST expression was an independent prognostic factor for OS. CONCLUSIONS: Our data imply that TWIST expression could be a useful predictor of unfavorable prognosis for OEC. TWIST may affect the p53 tumor-suppressor pathway. Moreover, hypoxia-mediated EMT, which involves the HIF1alpha/TWIST/E-cadherin pathway may play an important role in the progression of OEC.

Microsatellite Instability Status in Gastric Cancer: A Reappraisal of Its Clinical Significance and Relationship with Mucin Phenotypes

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancers with microsatellite instabilities (MSI) have been reported to be associated with favorable prognosis. However, the significance of the effect of MSI on the clinicopathological features, as well as its association with mucin phenotype, remains unclear. METHODS: MSI status was assessed in 414 cases of gastric cancer using polymerase chain reaction analysis of five microsatellite loci, as recommended by National Cancer Institution criteria. The expression of mucins (MUC5AC, MUC6, MUC2, and CD10) was assessed. RESULTS: Out of 414 total cases of gastric cancer, 380 (91.7%), 11 (2.7%), and 23 (5.6%) were microsatellite stable (MSS), low-level MSI (MSI-L), and high-level MSI (MSI-H), respectively. Compared to MSS/MSI-L, MSI-H gastric cancers were associated with older age (p=0.010), tumor size (p=0.014), excavated gross (p=0.042), intestinal type (p=0.028), aggressive behaviors (increase of T stage [p=0.009]), perineural invasion [p=0.022], and lymphovascular emboli [p=0.027]). MSI-H gastric cancers were associated with tumor necrosis (p=0.041), tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (> or =2/high power field, p or =10% of mass, p=0.031), tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (p<0.001), intestinal type (p=0.014), and gastric mucin phenotypes (p=0.020) could represent independent features associated with MSI-H gastric cancers. MSI-H intestinal type gastric cancers had a tendency for poor prognosis in univariate analysis (p=0.054) but no association in Cox multivariate analysis (p=0.197). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that MSI-H gastric cancers exhibit distinct aggressive biologic behaviors and a gastric mucin phenotype. This contradicts previous reports that describe MSI-H gastric cancer as being associated with favorable prognosis.

Prognostic Relevance of the Expression of CA IX, GLUT-1, and VEGF in Ovarian Epithelial Cancers

BACKGROUND: Tumor hypoxia is associated with malignant progression and treatment resistance. Hypoxia-related factors, such as carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX), glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) permit tumor cell adaptation to hypoxia. We attempted to elucidate the correlation of these markers with variable clinicopathological factors and overall prognosis. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry for CA IX, GLUT-1, and VEGF was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 125 cases of ovarian epithelial cancer (OEC). RESULTS: CA IX expression was significantly associated with an endometrioid and mucinous histology, nuclear grade, tumor necrosis, and mitosis. GLUT-1 expression was associated with tumor necrosis and mitosis. VEGF expression was correlated only with disease recurrence. Expression of each marker was not significant in terms of overall survival in OECs; however, there was a significant correlation between poor overall survival rate and high coexpression of these markers. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that it is questionable whether CA IX, GLUT-1, or VEGF can be used alone as independent prognostic factors in OECs. Using at least two markers helps to predict patient outcomes in total OECs. Moreover, the inhibition of two target gene combinations might prove to be a novel anticancer therapy.

Nutritional Intake and Nutritional Status by the Type of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

The aim of this study was to investigate the changes of nutritional intake and nutritional status and analyze the association between them during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This was a retrospective cross sectional study on 36 patients (9 Autologous transplantation group and 27 Allogeneic transplantation group) undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital from May to August 2010. To assess oral intake and parenteral nutrition intake, 24-hour recall method and patient's charts review was performed. Nutritional status was measured with the scored patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA). The subjects consisted of 6 (66.7%) males and 3 (33.3%) females in the autologous transplantation group (auto), 12 (44.4%) males and 15 (55.6%) females in the allogeneic transplantation group (allo). The mean age was 40.9 +/- 13.6 years (auto) and 37.8 +/- 11.0 years (allo). The average hospitalized period was 25.2 +/- 3.5 days (auto) and 31.6 +/- 6.6 days (allo), which were significant different (p < 0.05). Nutritional intake was lowest at Post+1wk in two groups. In addition, calorie intake by oral diet to recommended intake at Post+2wk was low (20.8% auto and 20.5% allo) but there were no significant differences in change of nutritional intake over time (Admission, Pre-1day, Post+1wk, Post+2wk) between auto group and allo group by repeated measures ANOVA test. The result of nutritional assessment through PG-SGA was significantly different at Pre-1day only (p < 0.01). There was a significant negative correlation between the nutritional status during Post+2wk and the oral calorie/protein intake to recommended amount measured during Post+1wk and Post+2wk (p < 0.01). These results could be used to establish evidence-based nutritional care guidelines for patients during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Molecular Biological Characteristics of Differentiated Early Gastric Cancer on the Basis of Mucin Expression

BACKGROUND: It is clear that the biologic characteristics of gastric cancer are different on the basis of mucin phenotypes. However, there are unabated controversies on the exact biologic differences of mucin expression in gastric cancer. METHODS: We analyzed various protein expressions and microsatellite instability (MSI) status based on mucin expression in 130 differentiated early gastric adenocarcinoma cases. Furthermore, we evaluated the genomic alternation in 10 selected differentiated early gastric adenocarcinoma cases using array based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH). RESULTS: Intestinal mucin predominant subtype showed significantly elevated p53 protein and caudal-related homeobox 2 expression, and delocalization of beta catenin expressions compared to the gastric mucin predominant subtype. On MSI status, the gastric mucin predominant subtype more frequently showed unstable status than the intestinal mucin predominant subtype. CGH study showed more frequent chromosomal gain and loss in the intestinal mucin predominant subtype than the gastric mucin predominant subtype, albeit without statistical significance. Interestingly, there were significant differences in chromosomal alternation between four mucin phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS: Study results suggest possible different points of biologic behaviors in early differentiated gastric adenocarcinomas by mucin expression type.