Expression of thymidylate synthase in gastric cancer patients treated with 5-fluorouracil and doxorubicin-based adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection.
We evaluated the expression of thymidylate synthase (TS) in locally advanced gastric cancer patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection and investigated the association between TS expression and clinicopathologic characteristics including prognosis of the patients. TS expression was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining using TS106 monoclonal antibody in 103 locally advanced gastric cancer patients (stage IB-IV) who underwent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and doxorubicin-based adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection. 65 patients (63%) had primary tumours with high TS expression (> or = 25% of tumour cells positive), and 38 patients (37%) demonstrated low TS expression (< 25% of tumour cells positive or no staining). High TS expression was associated with male gender (P = 0.002), poorly differentiated histology (P = 0.015), and mixed type in Lauren's classification (P = 0.027). There were no statistically significant differences in 4-year disease-free survival (60.0% vs. 57.2%, P = 0.548) and overall survival (59.6% vs. 59.3%, P = 0.792) between high-TS group and low-TS group. In conclusion, although high TS expression was associated with poorly differentiated histology and mixed type in Lauren's classification, it did not predict poor disease-free and overall survival in gastric cancer patients treated with 5-FU and doxorubicin-based adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection. Further prospective studies including the evaluation of other biological markers associated with the resistance to 5-FU and doxorubicin are necessary.
Choi
J
J
Department of Hematology-Oncology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 442-721, Korea. jhchoimj@unitel.co.kr
Lim
H
H
Nam
D K
DK
Kim
H S
HS
Cho
D Y
DY
Yi
J W
JW
Kim
H C
HC
Cho
Y K
YK
Kim
M W
MW
Joo
H J
HJ
Lee
K B
KB
Kim
K B
KB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013270:Stomach / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000601:surgery; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013940:Thymidylate Synthase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D004317:Doxorubicin; D013940:Thymidylate Synthase; D005472:Fluorouracil