Expression of connective tissue growth factor in tumor tissues is an independent predictor of poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), also known as CCN2, in gastric carcinoma (GC), and the correlation between the expression of CTGF, clinicopathologic features and clinical outcomes of patients with GC.


METHODS
One hundred and twenty-two GC patients were included in the present study. All patients were followed up for at least 5 years. Proteins of CTGF were detected using the Powervision two-step immunostaining method.


RESULTS
Of the specimens from 122 GC patients analyzed for CTGF expression, 58 (58/122, 47.5%) had a high CTGF expression in cytoplasm of gastric carcinoma cells and 64 (64/122, 52.5%) had a low CTGF expression. Patients with a high CTGF expression showed a higher incidence of lymph node metastasis than those with a low CTGF expression (P = 0.032). Patients with a high CTGF expression had significantly lower 5-year survival rate than those with a low CTGF expression (27.6% vs 46.9%, P = 0.0178), especially those staging I + II + III (35.7% vs 65.2%, P = 0.0027).


CONCLUSIONS
GC patients with an elevated CTGF expression have more lymph node metastases and a shorter survival time. CTGF seems to be an independent prognostic factor for the successful differentiation of high-risk GC patients staging I + II + III. Over-expression of CTGF in human GC cells results in an increased aggressive ability.
Liu
Lu-Ying
LY
Department of Pathology, Binzhou Medical Collage, 522 Huang-He Third Road, Binzhou 256603, Shandong Province, China. llixq@126.com
Han
Yan-Chun
YC
Wu
Shu-Hua
SH
Lv
Zeng-Hua
ZH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
C526317:CCN2 protein, human; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor