The Significance of CD24 Expression in Gastric Adenocarcinoma

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: CD24 is a small heavily glycosylated glycosyl- phosphatidylinositol-linked cell surface protein expressed in hematological malignancies as well as a large variety of solid tumors. It appears to function as a ligand of P-selectin, an adhesion molecule present in activated platelets and endothelial cells. The authors aimed to evaluate the expression of CD24 in adenomas and adenocarcinomas of the stomach and its correlation to clinicopathological data. METHODS: A series of 48 adenocarcinoma cases (advanced gastric carcinoma 24 cases, early gastric carcinoma 24 cases) and 12 adenoma cases of the stomach were immunohistochemically stained for correlation with the clinicopathological data. The staining was evaluated as stainability (negative, weak-, moderate-, strong-positive) and staining patterns (membranous vs. intracytoplasmic), which were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: The present study clearly demonstrated that the stainability of CD24 expression increased with positive nodal status in advanced gastric carcinomas (P<0.005). The stainability of CD24 in the adenocarcinoma group was much higher than in the adenoma group, but this was not statistically significant. Intracytoplasmic CD24 expression was demonstrated only in the adenocarcinoma group, with the exception of the adenoma group, but this also was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The authors conclude that the stainability of CD24 could be a molecular marker for gastric adenocarcinomas which could help to predict lymphogenous metastasis.