title: Mast cell positivity to tryptase correlates with metastatic lymph nodes in gastrointestinal cancer patients treated surgically.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Angiogenesis has been found to be a reliable prognostic indicator for several types of malignancies. Tryptase is a serine protease stored in mast cell (MC) granules, which plays a role in tumor angiogenesis. MCs can release tryptase following c-Kit receptor activation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, immunohistochemistry, image analysis methods and clinical aspects were employed in a series of 41 gastrointestinal cancer patients with stage T3-4N2a-bM0 (by the American Joint Committee on Cancer, AJCC, for colorectal cancer, 7th edition) and T3N2-3M0 (by AJCC for gastric cancer, 7th edition) to evaluate the possible correlation between MCs positive to tryptase (MCPT) in tumor tissue and the number of metastatic lymph nodes harvested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data demonstrated a positive correlation between MCPT in tumor tissue and the number of metastatic lymph nodes; the validity of these data needs confirmation in larger patient cohorts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report considering MCPT in tumor tissue as a potential tool for a valid indication of the type of surgical treatment and its radicality, and it might be considered for the prognosis of patients before radical surgical treatment. Our pilot data need confirmation in a larger patient cohort.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Catanzaro 'Magna Graecia' Medical School, Catanzaro, Italy. michele.ammendola@libero.it
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ammendola
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sacco
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Donato
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zuccalà
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luposella
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vescio
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rizzuto
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Patruno
authors.forename: Giovambattista
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Sarro
authors.forename: Severino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Montemurro
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sammarco
authors.forename: Girolamo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ranieri
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000201:enzymology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D053802:Tryptases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D053802:Tryptases