Negative association of c-fos expression as a favorable prognostic indicator in gastric cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The onco-protein c-fos was previously linked to favorable prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) without further validations. The present study was designed to address the issue based on a cohort of Chinese patients.


METHODS
Expression of c-fos was determined by immunohistochemical staining in specimens from 58 patients with GC who underwent surgical resection. The relationships between c-fos expression and clinicopathological and prognostic variables were further evaluated.


RESULTS
Expression of c-fos in tumor epithelia was observed in 39 (67.2%) patients. The protein was also positively expressed in lymphocytes within tumors and para-tumor epithelia. Tumors with positive expression of c-fos in tumor epithelia had a smaller size and marginally earlier T stage in all patients and/or those who underwent curative resection. Univariate analysis showed that patients with positive c-fos expression in tumor epithelia had significantly prolonged overall and tumor-free survival. Cox regression analysis revealed that c-fos expression in tumor epithelia was an independent or potential independent indicator of improved prognosis in different subgroups of patients. Expression of c-fos in para-tumor epithelia and intra-tumor lymphocytes was not associated with clinicopathological variables and long-term outcomes in patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data demonstrated that c-fos expression was negatively associated with tumor progression and was predictive for favorable survival in patients with GC.
Zhou
Li
L
Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences/Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Zhang
Jie-Shi
JS
Yu
Jian-Chun
JC
Cui
Quan-Cai
QC
Zhou
Wei-Xun
WX
Kang
Wei-Ming
WM
Ma
Zhi-Qiang
ZQ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D002681:China; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos