title: Molecular characterization and significance for prognosis of free gastric cancer cells in the peritoneal cavity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the significance of pathological factors for formation, molecular characterization and prognosis of free gastric cancer cells in the peritoneal cavity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The peritoneal lavage fluid of 132 patients with gastric cancer (invasion depth < or =T3) was sampled at laparotomy. The detection of free gastric cancer cells was performed by peritoneal lavage cytology (PLC) and detection of cytokeratin 18 (CK18) by immunocytochemistry. The relationship between positive rate of free gastric cancer cells and clinical features was analyzed. The expression of HGF, SP1, VEGF and CD34 were detected in 80 gastric cancer specimens with serosal invasion by immunohistochemistry. Clinical follow-up was performed for all the patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The positive rate of free gastric cancer cells by the combination of PLC and immunocytochemistry techniques correlated with tumor size, Borrmann type, differentiation, area, growing pattern, lymph node metastasis and serosal type, but it was not correlated to gender, tumor location, and Lauren type. Positive correlation was observed between microvessel density (MVD) and the expressions of HGF, SP1 and VEGF. The expressions of HGF, SP1 and VEGF and MVD werecorrelated with the clinicopathologic parameters. Single factor analysis showed that the relapse rate of patients receiving gastric cancer radical correction within half a year correlated with the expressions of HGF, SP1 and VEGF, MVD, positive PLC and tumor size.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of PCL and CK18 detection for free gastric cancer cells is sensitive and specific. The positive rate of free gastric cancer cells, expressions of HGF, SP1, VEGF, and MVD correlated with the clinical and pathological factors of gastric cancer. The detection of some relative factors may help to evaluate the stage, and predict the presence of free gastric cancer cells and post-operation relapse.
authors.affiliation: Abdominal Surgery, No. 3rd Clinical Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, PR China.
authors.forename: Chunfeng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Yingwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Hongfeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yuzhe
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000378:metabolism; D053538:Keratin-18 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000473:pathology*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; C066855:HGF protein, human; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D053538:Keratin-18; C090698:SP1 antigen; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor