Telomere erosion is independent of microsatellite instability but related to loss of heterozygosity in gastric cancer

Table 1 Relationship between MSI status and frameshift mutation

MSI status	No. of cases	Frameshift mutations
		MSH6	TGF β RII	BAX
MSI-H	8	2	6	3
MSI-L	9	0	0	0
MSS	51	0	0	0

Table 2 The relationship between the mean TRF length and clinico-pathological pararmeters

Parameters	No. of cases	Mean TRF length (x-± s)
Gender
Male	23	3.99 ± 0.63
Female	12	4.32 ± 1.00
Age (yrs)
30-39	5	4.54 ± 0.54
40-49	7	4.07 ± 0.60
50-59	11	4.39 ± 0.96
60-69	10	3.69 ± 0.66a
70-79	2	3.40 ± 0.07a
Size
< 5 cm	12	3.80 ± 1.20
> 5 cm	23	4.06 ± 0.86
Differentiation
Well and moderate	7	3.91 ± 0.49
Poor	19	4.24 ± 0.64
Mucinous	9	4.02 ± 1.10
Clinical stage
I and II	21	4.26 ± 0.82
III and IV	14	3.84 ± 0.68

^aP < 0.05 vs the age group of 30 to 39 years.

Table 3 Relationship between alterations of TRF length and MSI status or frameshift mutation

	No. of cases	Alterations in TRF length
		Shortened (n = 20)	Normal (n = 12)	Elongated (n = 3)
MSI status
MSI-H	8	4	4	0
MSI-L	9	4	4	1
MSS	18	9	7	2
Frameshift mutation
MSH3	35	1	1	0
TGF β RII	35	3	2	1
BAX	35	2	1	0

Table 4 Relationship between alterations of TRF length and loss of heterozygosity of APC, MCC and DCC genes

LOH	Alterations in TRF ength (LOH/Informative)
	Shortened (n = 20)	Normal (n = 12)	Elongated (n = 3)
APC	5/13	1/7	0/2
MCC	6/11	1/6	0/2
DCC	14/18a	3/11	1/3

^aP < 0.01.