Prognostic significance of expression of thymidine phosphorylase and vascular endothelial growth factor in human gastric carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Both thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are well-characterized inducers of angiogenesis. The purpose of this study was to examine the expression of these antigens and their prognostic significance in gastric carcinoma.


METHODS
Medical records of 102 patients with stage II tumor were retrospectively reviewed. Primary tumors were studied by immunohistochemical staining for dThdPase and VEGF.


RESULTS
Positive dThdPase expression was observed in 52 (51%) tumors and positive VEGF expression in 53 (52%) tumors. There was a significant correlation between the positive expression of VEGF and lymphatic invasion. The patients with dThdPase-positive carcinoma showed a significantly worse prognosis than those with dThdPase-negative carcinoma in stage II. Moreover, the frequency of hepatic recurrence was significantly higher in the patients with dThdPase-positive and VEGF-positive tumors than in those with dThdPase-negative and VEGF-negative tumors.


CONCLUSIONS
Combination analysis of dThdPase and VEGF expression in gastric carcinoma appears to be well-characterized inductors of prognosis and metastasis.
Department of Surgery, Toyama Prefectural Central Hospital, Toyama, Japan. hkimura@sun1.tch.pref.toyama.jp
H
H
Kimura
K
K
Konishi
T
T
Nukui
M
M
Kaji
K
K
Maeda
K
K
Yabushita
M
M
Tsuji
A
A
Miwa
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D013939:Thymidine Phosphorylase