Significance of Sulphomucin and CEA Expression in Advanced Gastric Adenocarcinomas

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Sulphomucin is secreted by immature foveolar cells of the stomach and is expressed in gastric adenocarcinomas. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is well known to be expressed in gastric adenocarci nomas and is correlated with the cellular differentiation of gastric adenocarcinomas. However, at the moment, there are no conclusions about the relationships between the expression of sulphomucin and pathological classifications. METHODS: This study was designed to determine the significance of expression of sulphomucin and CEA in advanced gastric adenocarcinomas. Also, these two factors were compared with established clinicopathological prognostic factors. Thirty-two paraffin-embedded surgical specimens of gastric adenocarcinomas were obtained from January 1993 to December 1995 and were selected for study. The expressions of sulphomucin and CEA were studied by using the Spicer method and immunohistochemical staining with CEA 2-7 monoclonal antibody. RESULTS: The expressions of sulphomucin and CEA were positive in 9 (28%) cases and 25 (78%) cases, respectively. There was a significant correlation between sulphomucin expression and histologic differentiation (p<0.05). However, the expression of CEA was correlated with neither clinopathological factors nor sulphomucin expression. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that expressions of sulphomucin are well correlated with cellular differentiations of advanced gastric adenocarcinomas.