High EpCAM expression is linked to proliferation and lauren classification in gastric cancer

BMC Research Notes

Nikolas H Stoecklein⁴  Wolfram T Knoefel⁴  Olivier Gires¹  Stephan E Baldus²  Jan Schulte am Esch⁴  Stefan A Topp⁴  Christian Vay⁴  Andreas Krieg⁴  Helene Geddert³  Daniel Vallböhmer⁴  Agnieszka Dulian⁴  Feride Kroepil⁴ 

[1] Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Grosshadern Medical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany;Department of Pathology, Heinrich-Heine-University and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Moorenstrasse 5, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany;Institute of Pathology St. Vincent’s Hospital, Karlsruhe, Germany;Department of Surgery (A), Heinrich-Heine-University and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Moorenstrasse 5, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany

关键词: Ki 67;    Overall survival;    Laurén-classification;    EpCAM expression;    Gastric cancer;   

Others  :  1142295
DOI  :  10.1186/1756-0500-6-253

 received in 2012-11-20, accepted in 2013-06-21,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

The association of EpCAM expression with the progression of gastric cancer remains unclear. Here, we investigated the expression of EpCAM in gastric cancer subtypes and correlated the data to tumor cell proliferation and clinicopathologic factors.

Methods

The intratumoral expression of EpCAM was assessed in 163 primary gastric cancers (61 diffuse-, 62 intestinal-, 32 mixed-type and 8 unclassified tumors) by immunohistochemistry, using the monoclonal antibody Ber-EP4. Intensity of staining was classified according the HercepTest-score using a standardized scoring system. Ki-67 was used to examine the proliferation in tumor tissue.

Results

Strong EpCAM expression was observed in 77% of the tumors and in 85% of the corresponding lymph nodes. Of the primary tumors, 58% (n=74) presented a homogeneous intratumoral EpCAM expression while 42% were characterised by a heterogenous expression pattern. Tumors with high EpCAM expression at the invasive front were associated with significantly (p=0.03) higher proportion of lymph node metastases and lower median overall survival (p=0.001). Diffuse type tumors presented a significantly higher EpCAM expression at the invasion front compared with the tumor centre (p=0.036). Multivariate survival analysis identified high EpCAM expression at the invasive front as an independent prognostic factor.

We observed a significant (p=0.001) correlation between high EpCAM expression and higher tumor cell proliferation.

Conclusion

High EpCAM expression associates with proliferation and progression of gastric cancer, especially in the diffuse type. Considering the discontenting results of the current adjuvant concepts for gastric cancer patients, EpCAM might be target in the adjuvant therapy of this malignant disease.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Kroepil et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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