Correlation Between Expression of p53, Bcl-2 Protein and Ki-67 Labelling Index and Lymph Node Metastasis in Early Gastric Cancer

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference of cliniopathological variables and p53, bcl-2, and Ki-67 labelling index between early gastric cancer with and without lymph node metastasis. METHODS: The authors analyzed thirty patients who had early gastric cancer confined to submucosa (sm cancer) without lymph node metastasis and thirty patients who had sm cancer with lymph node metastasis. The expression of p53 protein, bcl-2 protein and Ki-67 labelling index were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: No significant correlation was found between lymph node metastasis and age, sex, tumor size, Lauren classification, histologic grade, and venous invasion. But lymphatic invasion was significantly correlated to lymph node metastasis (p<0.01). The p53 positive rate was 73.3% (22/30) and 66.7% (20/30) in sm cancer with and without lymph node metastatsis, respectively. The bcl-2 positive rate was 40.0% (12/30) and 30.0% (9/30) in sm cancer with and without lymph node metastasis, respectively. The Ki-67 labelling index (%) was 63.9+/-15.3 and 61.4+/-12.8 in sm cancer with and without lymph node metastasis, respectively. The lymph node metastasis was not significantly correlated to expression of p53 protein, bcl-2 protein or Ki-67 labelling index. CONCLUSIONS: Expression of p53, bcl-2 protein and proliferative activity of sm cancer may not influence lymph node metastasis. Lymphatic invasion is a significant predictor of lymph node metastasis.