22. Expression and clinical significance of TF and Her-2 in gastric carcinoma

Objective: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of tissue factor (TF) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (Her-2) in gastric cancer and their relationship with serum tumor marker and coagulation marker in peripheral blood.
Methods: The expression of TF and Her-2 was detected in 134 cases of gastric cancer tissue by immunohistochemical staining (SP). For Her-2 expression suspicious (2+) the result was further confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method. Their relationship with serum tumor marker and coagulation marker in peripheral blood was analyzed.
Results: The positive expression rates of TF and Her-2 in gastric cancer tissues were 67.9% and 16.4% respectively. TF was positive expression in 19 of 22 Her-2 positive (86.4%) and 72 of 112 Her-2 negative cases (64.3%), the difference was significant (P<0.05). The expression of TF was closely associated with tumor size, its positive expression rate in tissues which diameter was more than 2 cm was higher than those diameter was less than 2 cm. While the expression of Her-2 was not; The expression of TF and Her-2 were all correlated with histological grade, lymph node metastasis and staging, their positive expression rate in poorly differentiated, lymph node metastasis or stage III-IV tissues were higher than those in well differentiated tissues, without lymph node metastasis or stage I-II tissues, the differences were significant (P<0.05). There was a significant correlation between the expression of TF and Her-2 in gastric cancer (r=0.563, P<0.01). TF was associated with the value of CEA and CA199 in peripheral blood (P<0.05), Her-2 was associated with the value of CEA in peripheral blood (P<0.05). The values were higher in positive expression of TF and Her-2 patients than those in negative expressions.
Conclusions: Patients with high expression of TF and Her-2 are prone to have higher histopathologic malignant degree and lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer. TF and Her-2 may be involved in tumorigenesis and progression of gastric cancer, they may collaboratively regulate invasion and metastasis process in gastric cancer.