Elevated plasma osteopontin associated with gastric cancer development, invasion and survival.
OBJECTIVE
Osteopontin (OPN) has been found to be valuable in diagnosis and predicting the prognosis of a variety of malignancies. The aims of the present study are to evaluate the usefulness of plasma OPN level for predicting gastric cancer development, invasion and survival.


METHODS
One hundred and thirty two gastric cancer patients and 93 healthy controls were enrolled. Real-time quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical staining were used to detect OPN expression in gastric cancer tissues. Plasma levels of OPN were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Plasma OPN levels were compared with gastric cancer development, clinicopathological features and outcomes.


RESULTS
Expression of OPN mRNA was significantly higher in gastric cancer tissues compared with non-tumour tissues. Most OPN immunoactivity was localised to cancer cells. The median plasma OPN level was significantly higher in patients than in controls (p<0.0001), and significantly higher in patients with advanced stages, serosal invasion, lymph node metastasis, lymphatic invasion, venous invasion and liver metastasis. Logistic regression showed that high plasma OPN level (greater than 67.3 ng/ml) is significantly associated with advanced stages, serosal invasion, lymph node metastasis, lymphatic invasion, venous invasion and liver metastasis. Plasma OPN level demonstrated significant association with patient survival (p<0.0001), especially in the subgroups with invasive phenotypes. On Cox multivariate analysis, elevated plasma OPN level was an independent risk factor for poor survival (p<0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated plasma OPN level is significantly associated with gastric cancer development, invasive phenotypes and survival. Plasma OPN level may have potential usefulness as a diagnostic and prognostic factor for gastric cancer.
Wu
Chun-Ying
CY
Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Wu
Ming-Shiang
MS
Chiang
En-Pei
EP
Wu
Cheng-Chung
CC
Chen
Yi-Ju
YJ
Chen
Chien-Jen
CJ
Chi
Nai-Hui
NH
Chen
Gran-Hum
GH
Lin
Jaw-Town
JT
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016019:Survival Analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053495:Osteopontin