Loss of heterozygosity and loss of expression of the DCC gene in gastric cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of DCC gene inactivation in the development and progression of gastric cancer.


METHODS
Loss of heterozygosity and loss of expression of the DCC gene was studied in 51 surgical specimens of gastric cancer using detection based on polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
Loss of heterozygosity was found in 35.3% (18 of 51) of specimens and was detected more often in stage III and IV (50%) than in stage I and II cancers (14.3%) (p < 0.05). Occurrence of loss of heterozygosity was not correlated with histological type, tumour size, depth of invasion, or lymph node metastasis. Loss of expression was found in 49% of cases (25 of 51). Loss of expression was not significantly correlated with any clinicopathological variable.


CONCLUSIONS
Loss of heterozygosity and loss of expression of the DCC gene are often encountered in gastric cancer. Loss of heterozygosity of the DCC gene is a late event and associated with malignant progression.
Fang
D C
DC
Department of Gastroenterology, 3rd Military Medical University, Southwest Hospital, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.
Jass
J R
JR
Wang
D X
DX
D015870:Gene Expression; D016163:Genes, DCC; D006801:Humans; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology