title: Prognostic value of preoperative immunosuppressive acidic protein in patients with gastric carcinoma. Findings from three independent clinical trials. Tumor Marker Committee for the Study Group of Immunochemotherapy with PSK for Gastric Cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) has been reported to have close correlation with the impairment of host immune response. To evaluate the significance of IAP in clinical studies, the prognostic value of preoperative IAP was investigated in clinical trials of patients with gastric carcinoma after curative resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  An appropriate IAP threshold value of 580 micrograms/mL was determined using Cox's proportional hazards model. Five-year survival rates were estimated for high and low IAP groups in three different clinical studies. Meta-analysis was performed based on individual patient data, and summarized hazard ratios were estimated using a stratified proportional hazards model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Meta-analysis of the three clinical trials demonstrated that patients with preoperative IAP levels above the threshold had significantly poorer cancer related survival (P = 0.0039) and absolute survival (P = 0.0023), even after adjustment for the major prognostic factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gastric carcinoma patients with an IAP value above the threshold level of 580 micrograms/mL have a higher risk of cancer death and absolute death than patients with an IAP value below the threshold value.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Aichi Prefectural Hospital, Okazaki, Japan.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teramukai
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saji
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohashi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakazato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012306:Risk; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C030193:immunosuppressive acidic protein