title: Cell proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenesis in gastric cancer and its hepatic metastases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The levels of cell proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenesis were compared histochemically in gastric cancer and its hepatic metastases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue samples were taken from 7 patients with gastric cancer associated with synchronous and/or metachronous hepatic metastases. In the 7 gastric cancers and in 4 synchronous and 4 metachronous hepatic metastases, Ki-67 immunostaining was performed to measure the labeling index (Ki-67 LI). Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end labeling was performed to measure the apoptotic index, and immunostaining for factor VIII-related antigen was performed to measure the microvessel density.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Ki-67 LI was higher in the gastric cancer and the metachronous hepatic metastasis than in the synchronous hepatic metastasis (primary lesions vs. synchronous foci vs. metachronous foci: 47.1% vs. 39.3% vs. 48.0%; P < 0.05). The apoptotic index was lower in the gastric cancer and the metachronous hepatic metastasis than in the synchronous hepatic metastasis (3.50% vs. 5.01% vs. 2.64%; P < 0.05). The microvessel density was higher in the gastric cancer and the metachronous hepatic metastasis than in the synchronous hepatic metastasis (36.0 vs. 22.2 vs. 34.2; P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results suggest that tumor growth as indicated by cell proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenesis is less vigorous in synchronous hepatic metastasis than in primary lesion and/or metachronous hepatic metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Asahi, 3-1-1, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan. surgery2@hsp.md.shinshu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Naohiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Koide
authors.forename: Akihito
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nishio
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hiraguri
authors.forename: Ko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Nobuhiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shimozawa
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hanazaki
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kajikawa
authors.forename: Wataru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Amano
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D002455:Cell Division; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D014841:von Willebrand Factor