The loss of p27 protein has an independent prognostic significance in gastric cancer.
BACKGROUND
p27 and cyclin E are regulators of the G1 to S phase transition. This study was performed to determine whether two cell cycle regulators--p27 and cyclin E--provided prognostic information in gastric cancer patients.


METHODS
A total of 115 gastric cancer patients were eligible for this study from Jan. 1988 through Dec. 1994, and their paraffin blocks were chosen for immunohistochemical staining against p27 and cyclin E.


RESULTS
Consequently, 35 patients were stained positively for p27 (30.4%) and 24 for cyclin E (20.9%). A high level of p27 expression was more frequently observed in intestinal type (43.9%) than in diffuse (23.0%) (p = 0.019). Concerning patients' survival, univariate analysis showed that the depth of invasion (p = 0.043), the number of metastatic nodes (p = 0.024) and the expression of p27 (p = 0.031) were significant prognostic factors. In particular, p27 negative group showed a worse overall survival than their counterpart (42.42 +/- 9.63% Vs 26.63 +/- 4.17%). On multivariate analysis by Cox regression model, the expression of p27 (p = 0.048) and number of metastatic nodes (p = 0.026) were significant prognostic factors on overall survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Loss of the p27 protein has independent prognostic significance in gastric carcinomas, and whether p27 negative gastric cancer requires more radical therapies can be elucidated by future clinical trials.
Kwon
O J
OJ
Department of Surgery, Boramae City Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Kang
H S
HS
Suh
J S
JS
Chang
M S
MS
Jang
J J
JJ
Chung
J K
JK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D019927:Cyclin E / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019927:Cyclin E; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; C058992:Tagln protein, mouse