title: The significances of lymph node micrometastasis and its correlation with E-cadherin expression in pT1-T3N0 gastric adenocarcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently, micrometastasis (MM) in the lymph node in gastric cancer has been detected by cytokeratin immunostaining. However, clinical significance of MM and its relationship with reduced expression of E-cadherin in primary lesion have not been well studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 4,990 lymph nodes from 184 pT1~T3N0 patients from 1995 to 2000 at Korea University Hospital were immunostained with the anticytokeratin AE1/3 antibody for detection of micometastasis. The primary lesions were also immunostained for E-cadherin expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MM in the lymph node of gastric cancer was found in 131 (2.6%) of total dissected nodes, and 31 of 184 patients (16.8%) were shown to have MM. The MM was significantly correlated with the depth of invasion, tumor size, operation method, Lauren classification, lymphovascular invasion and loss of E-cadherin expression in primary tumor. On multivariate analysis, the independent risk factors for MM were the depth of invasion and loss of E-cadherin expression. The patients with MM had significantly lower 5-year overall and disease free survival rate than those without MM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lymph node MM in histologically node-negative gastric cancer was significantly correlated with poor 5-year survival rate. The determination of E-cadherin expression in primary gastric tumor may be useful in prediction of the MM.
authors: Department of Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoungbuk-Gu, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jong-Han
authors: JH
authors: Kim
authors: Joong-Min
authors: JM
authors: Park
authors: Cheol-Woong
authors: CW
authors: Jung
authors: Sung-Soo
authors: SS
authors: Park
authors: Seung-Joo
authors: SJ
authors: Kim
authors: Young-Jae
authors: YJ
authors: Mok
authors: Chong-Suk
authors: CS
authors: Kim
authors: Yang-Suk
authors: YS
authors: Chae
authors: Jeoung-Won
authors: JW
authors: Bae
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D007633:Keratins