Targeting mast cells in gastric cancer with special reference to bone metastases

Table 1 Principal studies that correlate mast cell density and mast cells density positive status to tryptase with angiogenesis or negative prognostic factors in gastric cancer patients

Ref.	Disease stage/main stages	Chemotherapy	Patients (n)/site	Methods of MCs identification	Correlation	P value
Ribatti et al[9], 2010	All TNM stages (mainly II-IV)	No	30	Immunohistochemistry primary anti-tryptase and anti-chymase Abs	MCD and Angiogenesis and advanced tumor stage	< 0.05
Zhao et al[67], 2012	All TNM stages (mainly II-IV)	No	60	Immunohistochemistry primary anti-tryptase Ab	MCD and advanced tumor stage	NS
Ammendola et al[28], 2013	TNM stage III	Nr	25	Immunohistochemistry primary anti-tryptase Ab	MCDPT and MVD and c-KitR-EC	0.001
Ammendola et al[32], 2013	TNM stage III	Nr	19	Immunohistochemistry primary anti-tryptase Ab	MCDPT and no. of metastatic lymph nodes	0.01

Ab/s: Antibody/antibodies; MCD: Mast cell density; NR: Not reported; MCDPT: Mast cells density positive to tryptase; c-KitR EC: c-Kit receptor expressing cell.