Expression of the c-erbB-2 proto-oncogene product in gastric carcinoma and precancerous lesions

Abstract

AIM: To study the relationship between the expression of the c-erbB-2 proto-oncogene product with gastric mucosal carcinogenesis and the behavior of gastric carcinoma.

METHODS: Specimens from nine normal gastric mucosa, 23 gastric mucosal dysplasia (10 slight, six moderate, seven severe), 18 early gastric carcinoma, and 30 advanced gastric carcinoma were marked with P₁₈₅ monoclonal antibody using the immunohistochemical peroxidase-avidin-biotin complex method. The relation between P₁₈₅ expression with histological type, size, and lymph node metastasis of gastric carcinoma were analyzed.

RESULTS: Normal gastric mucosa was negative for P₁₈₅; Only a few cells in the neck region of the mucosal glands were very weakly positive. Relatively high positive rates were found in the slight, moderate, and severe dysplasia specimens (50%, 83.3%, and 85.7%, respectively). A 22.2% and 56.7% P₁₈₅-positive rate was found in early gastric carcinoma and in advanced gastric carcinoma, respectively. Statistically, the P₁₈₅-positive rates in severe dysplasia and advanced gastric carcinoma were significantly higher than that in early gastric carcinoma (P < 0.05). The P₁₈₅-positive rate in the group with lymph node metastasis was significantly higher than that of the group without lymph node metastasis (59.3% vs 23.8%, P < 0.05), but P₁₈₅ expression was not related to histological type and size of gastric carcinoma.

CONCLUSION: The c-erbB-2 proto-oncogene might participate in gastric mucosal proliferation, repair, and carcinogenesis, and gastric carcinoma with P₁₈₅ expression might have a stronger potential of infiltration and metastasis.

Key Words: Stomach neoplasms/genetics; Precancerous conditions/genetics; Proto-oncogene proteins c-erbB-2/metabolism