[Peripheral plasma Big endothelin 1 levels in patients with gastric carcinoma undergoing radical gastrectomy and its relationship with tumor recurrence].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the plasma Big endothelin-1 levels in patients with gastric carcinoma before and after radical gastrectomy, and explore its clinical significance.


METHODS
One hundred and six patients with gastric carcinoma and 20 controls were enrolled. The Big ET-1 plasma levels were examined by enzyme-linked immuno absorbent assay before and on the 1st, 3rd, and 10th day after curative surgery, and then were tested every 3 months in the patients with advanced gastric cancer.


RESULTS
All patients, except those with stage I gastric cancer, had significantly higher mean plasma Big ET-1 levels compared with normal controls (P=0.000). Higher plasma Big ET-1 levels were associated with lymph node metastasis (P=0.020) and serosal infiltration (P=0.035). The plasma Big Endothelin-1 levels were markedly increased on the first post-operative day (1st POD) in all patients,but decreased on the 3rd POD with no significant difference compared to the preoperative levels. On the 10th POD, the patients with stage I and II gastric cancer showed marked reduction in plasma Big ET-1 levels (P=0.010 and P=0.000, respectively), whereas no significant difference was observed in stage III and IV patients. During the follow-up, the plasma Big ET-1 levels just before recurrence in stage II patients were significantly higher compared with the levels on the 10th POD (P=0.011).


CONCLUSIONS
Plasma Big ET-1 might be a reliable marker to determine the severity of gastric carcinoma. Monitoring plasma Big ET-1 levels after curative resection in stage II gastric cancer patients is valuable to predict recurrence.
Teng
Xiao-jun
XJ
Department of Digestive Medicine, Peoples Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China.
Shen
Zhi-xiang
ZX
Xiang
Jin-jian
JJ
Shen
Lei
L
Yuan
Lin
L
Guo
Jie
J
Wang
Xiao-ling
XL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
D019332:Endothelin-1