The relationship between c-erbB-2 oncogene expression and clinicopathological factors in gastric cancer.

Gastric carcinoma is one of the most common carcinomas and a leading cause of death from cancer in Turkey. The relationship between clinicopathological features of the disease and oncogenes is under investigation. In this retrospective study we investigated the relationships between expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein and grade, stage and pathological characteristics of the tumour, and prognosis. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections were prepared from gastrectomy specimens from 55 patients with gastric carcinoma. The tissue sections were stained immunohistochemically to reveal c-erbB-2 protein. Six (10%) of the tumours stained positively for c-erbB-2 protein. There was no statistically significant association (P > 0.5) between c-erbB-2 staining and tumour grade, stage or pathological characteristics (necrosis, lymph-node infiltration), or between staining and prognosis. The results suggest that overexpression of c-erb-B-2 protein is not related to the pathological characteristics of the tumour in gastric carcinoma and is not an important prognostic indicator.

Expression of p53 protein and prognosis in gastric carcinoma.

A study was carried out to assess whether p53 expression is related to tumour type, grade or pathological characteristics, or to prognosis, in gastric cancer. Immunohistochemical studies were performed to detect p53 protein in sections from 55 consecutive gastrectomy or partial gastrectomy specimens. Tumours were classified for T-stage, histopathological grade and pathological characteristics. Immunohistochemical staining detected p53 protein in 11 (19%) of the 55 specimens. There was no statistically significant difference between patients with p53 positively staining tumours and patients with p53 negatively staining tumours with regard to tumour grade, stage or pathological characteristics (lymph-node infiltration, depth of invasion, necrosis, or necrosis of vessels). Survival time was statistically significantly lower in patients with positively staining tumours (mean survival times 12.0 and 23.4 months, respectively). These results suggest that expression of p53 protein is related to poor prognosis in gastric carcinoma.

High expression of multidrug resistance-1 (MDR-1) and its relationship with multiple prognostic factors in gastric carcinomas in patients in Turkey.

Drug resistance remains a major problem in the treatment of gastric cancer. In Turkey, gastric carcinoma is the second most common cancer and, because the rate of early diagnosis is low, chemotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of the disease. We aimed to investigate expression of the multidrug resistance-1 gene (MDR-1) and its relationship with multiple prognostic factors in gastric cancers. Between 1996 and 1998, a total of 55 patients (37 men and 19 women; median age 55 years) were studied. Sections from specimens of gastric carcinomas were immunohistochemically stained to detect P-glycoprotein (which is associated with MDR-1 expression). We found MDR-1 expression in 48 (87%) of the patients. None of the multiple prognostic factors, including histological type of tumour, correlated with expression of MDR-1. Patients who had low MDR-1 expression had better survival. We conclude that the expression of MDR-1 in gastric cancer is high in Turkey, and this may be related to poor prognosis.

The epidemiology of gastrointestinal cancer in Turkey: a review of our accumulated experience.

Among all organ cancers, gastrointestinal tract cancers present an interesting pattern in distribution over the world. There are several hundred differences between some incidences of cancer. Probably due to different geographical and climatic differences between western and eastern regions of Turkey, we found varying incidences in esophageal, gastric, and colonic carcinomas. The type of diet, and an excess or lack of some essential nutrients and vitamins are probably the main causes in determining what kind of gastrointestinal tumor might occur. Besides diet, living areas, socioeconomic status, salinity of soil, drinking water and many other factors may play a role. Contrary to the findings of some authors, excessive tea and alcohol consumption has not been found to be a risk factor in our study.

Gastric carcinoma in northwestern Turkey: epidemiologic characteristics.

We studied 252 newly diagnosed gastric cancer patients seen at our institution between 1977 and 1991 and compared the findings with 609 age- and gender-matched controls. There was no difference in the mean age and the M:F ratio. Most of our patients were rural dwellers from a low socio-economic group. The proximal portion of the stomach was most often involved. No statistically significant differences were found with regard to the use of coffee, alcohol, starchy food, and fresh fruits. The relative risk for gastric cancer was significantly higher statistically in individuals who consumed only small amounts of vegetables and bread. Although an increased relative risk was noted between gastric cancer and the amount of milk and meat consumed, this appears to have been fortuitous: an increased consumption of milk may have been due to patients attempts to alleviate symptoms, and a low meat intake most likely was due to the low income level of the majority of our patients.

The etiological role of diet, smoking, and drinking habits of patients with esophageal carcinoma in Turkey.

Esophageal cancer has a known high incidence in areas adjacent to the Caspian Sea and in northeastern Turkey. This study compares the incidence of esophageal cancer in Bursa (northwestern Turkey) with an age-matched control population. Factors associated with esophageal cancer and significantly at variance with controls include: age over 70, low income, smoking more than one pack of cigarettes per day, and low vegetable and fresh fruit intake.