[Study on association between the expression of galectin- 3 and the peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between the expression of galectin- 3 protein and peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer.


METHODS
The expressions of galectin- 3 was detected in matching- samples including primary gastric cancer lesions,lymph node metastases,peritoneal metastases and paratumor normal tissues by immunohistochemistry. All specimens were gained from 35 patients who had synchronous peritoneal metastasis from gastric cancer.


RESULTS
The over- expression of galectin- 3 was observed in 97% (34/35) of the gastric cancer lesions, the peritoneal metastases and the lymph node metastases,whereas in 14% (5/35) of paratumor normal tissues. There were significant differences in the expression of galectin- 3 between paratumor normal tissues and the gastric carcinoma lesions,peritoneal metastases and lymph node metastases (P< 0.05),but there were no significant differences among the gastric cancer lesions,the peritoneal metastases,and the lymph node metastases (P> 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of galectin- 3 in gastric cancer lesions can be used as a biological marker of peritoneal metastasis from gastric cancer before operation and as a prognostic factor of gastric cancer.
Yang
Zhi-ming
ZM
Department of General Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Wu
Xiao-ting
XT
He
Tao
T
Da
Ming-xu
MX
Luo
Ting
T
Qian
Kun
K
D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D037502:Galectin 3