The significances of lymph node micrometastasis and its correlation with E-cadherin expression in pT1-T3N0 gastric adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Recently, micrometastasis (MM) in the lymph node in gastric cancer has been detected by cytokeratin immunostaining. However, clinical significance of MM and its relationship with reduced expression of E-cadherin in primary lesion have not been well studied. METHODS: The 4,990 lymph nodes from 184 pT1~T3N0 patients from 1995 to 2000 at Korea University Hospital were immunostained with the anticytokeratin AE1/3 antibody for detection of micometastasis. The primary lesions were also immunostained for E-cadherin expression. RESULTS: MM in the lymph node of gastric cancer was found in 131 (2.6%) of total dissected nodes, and 31 of 184 patients (16.8%) were shown to have MM. The MM was significantly correlated with the depth of invasion, tumor size, operation method, Lauren classification, lymphovascular invasion and loss of E-cadherin expression in primary tumor. On multivariate analysis, the independent risk factors for MM were the depth of invasion and loss of E-cadherin expression. The patients with MM had significantly lower 5-year overall and disease free survival rate than those without MM. CONCLUSION: Lymph node MM in histologically node-negative gastric cancer was significantly correlated with poor 5-year survival rate. The determination of E-cadherin expression in primary gastric tumor may be useful in prediction of the MM.

Multiple malignant extragastrointestinal stromal tumors of the greater omentum and results of immunohistochemistry and mutation analysis: a case report.

To report an extragastrointestinal stromal tumor (EGIST) that occurs outside the gastrointestinal tract and shows unique clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical features. In our case, we experienced multiple soft tissue tumors that originate primarily in the greater omentum, and in immunohistochemical analysis, the tumors showed features that correspond to malignant EGIST. Two large omental masses measured 15 cm multiply 10 cm and 5 cm multiply 4 cm sized and several small ovoid fragments were attached to small intestine, mesentery and peritoneum. On histologic findings, the masses were separated from small bowel serosa and had high mitotic count (115/50 HPFs). In the results of immunohistochemical stains, the tumor showed CD117 (c-kit) positive reactivity and high Ki-67 labeling index. On mutation analysis, the c-kit gene mutation was found in the juxtamembrane domain (exon 11) and it was heterozygote. Platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) gene mutation was also found in the juxtamemembrane (exon 12) and it was polymorphism. From above findings, we proposed that there may be several mutational pathways to malignant EGIST, so further investigations could be needed to approach this unfavorable disease entity.