Abstract
Expression of human epidermal growth factor (EGF) was examined immunohistochemically in the main lesions of 54 surgically resected gastric carcinomas, and in 61 sections of 23 cases involving lymphnode metastasis. And nuclear DNA ploidy pattern was also studied by cytofluorometric measurement in above all cases. We subclassified histological expression of EGF by DNA ploidy patterns, namely, diploid and aneuploid patterns, and these findings were compared with the clinicopathological findings.
Positive expressions of EGF were found in 26 of 54 cases (48.1%), and 22 of these 26 cases (84.6%) showed aneuploid pattern (p<0.01). In both positive expression of EGF and aneuploid pattern cases (in stage II and III), the frequency of lymphnode metastasis or blood vessels invasion significantly increased as compared to EGF negative-diploid cases or EGF positive-aneuploid cases.
In curative operated patients the prognosis of EGF positive cases were poor (p<0.05), and subclassified by ploidy pattern, the prognosis of EGF positive-aneuploid cases were pointed out poor tendency.
As compared the main cancer lesions to lymphnode metastatic lesions, hetrogenity of DNA ploidy pattern was found in only one case (4.3%), but heterogenity of EGF was found in 5 cases (21.7%).
In stage IV cases and recurrent cases 6 liver metastatic cases were found in only, EGF positive-aneuploid cases. EGF positive-aneuploid cancer cells were seemed to have a participation of hematogenous metastasis.
