A STUDY OF DNA PLOIDY PATTERN, PROLIFERAION INDEX AND PROLIFERATING CELL NUCLEAR ANTIGEN (PCNA) IN PRIMARY AND METASTATIC TUMORS IN ADVANCED GASTRIC CARCINOMA

Abstract

Fifth-five materials including primary lesions and lymph node metastasis from 15 cases of advanced gastric carcinoma were evaluated for DNA ploidy patterns, proliferation index (PI), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA).
1) DNA aneuploidy pattern was found in 43 out of 55 materials (78%).
2) Heterogeneity on DNA histogram was observed in 8 cases (53%).
3) PCNA staining was positive in 53 materials (96%).
4) DNA ploidy pattern was revealed to correlate significantly to PI (p<0.05) and PCNA positive rate (p<0.005).
5) PI was revealed to correlate significantly (p<0.05, rS=0.345) to PCNA positive rate.
6) Fixation time did not effect in PCNA staining rate at least within 2 weeks.
7) No correlation of DNA ploidy pattern, PI, or PCNA positive rate to n-number (metastasis to distant lymph node) could be detected.
From these findings, no correlation between probable distant lymph node metastasis and the degree of malignanicy and proliferating activity due to these parameters were able to be proved. For this, possible participation of heterogeneity can be inferred.