[Effect of preoperative intra-arterial chemotherapy on apoptosis and p53 expression of gastric cancer].
OBJECTIVE
Regional chemotherapy is charactized by a high drug concentration in tumor tissues and slight side-effects. Some significant histopathological changes were observed in the patients with gastric carcinoma treated by selective intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy before operation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of preoperative intra-arterial chemotherapy on apoptosis and p53 expression in human gastric cancer and its clinical significance.


METHODS
The apoptosis was examined by terminal uridine deoxynucleotide nick end labeling (TUNEL) and the expression of p53 was detected with immunohistochemistry in 33 patients with gastric carcinoma pre- and post-chemotherapy respectively.


RESULTS
Apoptosis index(AI) was significantly higher in the post-chemotherapeutic patients than in the pre-chemotherapeutic ones (19.29 +/- 6.48 versus 9.24 +/- 5.03, P < 0.01). In contrast, the positive expression rate of p53 was significantly lower, in the post-chemotherapeutic patients, than in the pre-chemotherapeutic ones(30.30% versus 54.55%, P < 0.05). In the post-chemotherapeutic patients, the droped group of p53 expression were strongly associated with a better clinical response(P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative intra-arterial chemotherapy could enhance the apoptosis of gastric cancer cell, decrease the level of p53 expression and keep the patients for a longer survival.
Dong
Xin-chun
XC
Department of Surgery, Gansu Cancer Hospital, Lanzhou 730050, P. R. China.
Li
Bin
B
Li
Ying-ping
YP
D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects*
D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53