Thymidine phosphorylase expression in gastric cancer in association with proliferative activity and angiogenesis.
BACKGROUND
Thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase) has been reported to stimulate angiogenesis in vivo. We investigated dThdPase expression in gastric cancer in association with angiogenesis and proliferative activity.


METHODS
One hundred and forty-eight gastric cancer patients who had received radical gastrectomy were investigated.


RESULTS
Positive dThdPase staining was observed in 98 cases. The microvessel counts for positive and negative cases were 44.1 and 29.6, respectively, representing a significant correlation. The mean PCNA index of positive cases was significantly higher than that of negative cases. The patients with positive dThdPase staining in high intensity displayed decreased post-operative survival compared to those without.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that proliferative activity of gastric cancer is related to dThdPase expression and angiogenesis and that dThdPase expression is associated with angiogenesis. dThdPase expression could also be a prognostic factor for gastric cancer patients.
Kikuyama
S
S
Department of Surgery, Tochigi National Hospital, Japan. kikuyama@hh.iij4u.or.jp
Inada
T
T
Shimizu
K
K
Miyakita
M
M
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000235:genetics; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000032:analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase