Expression Of COX-2, MMP-9 And E-Cad In Gastric Cancer

IntroductionGastric cancer is a highly incident malignant tumor with increased morbidity, especially in Asia. Gastric cancer is typically associated with a very poor prognosis and advanced stage at presentation. One important cause of the poor prognosis even after radical treatment is that we have no sensitive and specific tumor markers, which makes diagnosis rather difficult. And adjuvant therapy is necessary to improve the surgical results.ObjectiveTo evaluate the expression of COX - 2, MMP - 9, E - Cad and their relationship with clinicopathologic characteristics and prognostic significance in gastric cancer.Materials And MethodsThe subjects were 51 patients who underwent surgical excision and diagnosed with gastric cancer at The 1st Affiliated Hospital of CMU between April 1998 and March 1999. All the specimens were detected by the technique of the immunochemical SABC with polycolonal antibody COX - 2, MMP - 9 and E -Cad. For statistical analysis, the chi - square test were used. P value less than 0.05 was regarded as significant.Result1. The expression of cycloonase - 2 ( COX - 2 ) in gastric carcinoma tissues was present in 62.8% (32/51) and no COX -2 staining was detected in normal gastric tissues. There was significant relationship between the gastric cancer tissues and normal gastric tissues ( p <0.01). And the expression of COX -2 were highly correlated with depth of infiltration, lymph node metastasis, TNM stadium of gastric cancer, but no noticeable relation to the lower differentiation gastric cancer cell.2. The expression of matrix metalloproteinase -9(MMP -9) in gastric carcinoma tissues was detected in gastric carcinoma tissues of 76. 5 % (39/51) and of 13. 3% (2/15) the normal gastric tissues. There was significant relationship between the gastric cancer tissues and normal gastric tissues ( p < 0. 01) . The related factors with MMP - 9 expression were depth of infiltration, lymph node metastasis, TNM stadium of gastric cancer cell. The non - related factor with MMP - 9 expression were the lower differentiation gastric cancer cell.3. All the normal gastric tissues abundantly expressed eptithelial cadherin (E - Cad) , but expression of E - Cad was60. 8 % (31/51) in the gastric cancer group. There was significant relationship between the gastric cancer tissues and normal gastric tissues( p <0.01). The related factors with E - cadherin expression reduction were lower differentiation, depth of infiltration. The non - related factor with E - cadherin expression reduction were the lymph node metastasis and TNM stadium gastric cancer cell.4. The expression of COX -2 was significant related with that of MMP -9 and E-Cad(p<0.01).Conclusionsoverexpressions of COX - 2, MMP - 9 and declining expressions of E - Cad were detected in gastric cancer and the expressions were significantly related to the gastric cancer invasion and metastasis. The expression of COX -2 has sig-...