Y. Yonemura et al., CORRELATION BETWEEN OVEREXPRESSION OF C-MET GENE AND THE PROGRESSION OF GASTRIC-CANCER, International journal of oncology, 8(3), 1996, pp. 555-560
The c-met oncogene encodes a receptor of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF
), which has both mitogenic and motogenic activities. We have studied
the c-met gene expression in gastric cancer by immunohistochemical met
hod using an antibody specific to the c-met beta-chain. c-met immunore
activity was preferentially localize on the cell membrane, and 55 (43%
) of 127 primary gastric cancers showed c-met immunoreactivity. Strong
correlation was found between c-met expression in large tumors, lymph
node involvement, serosal invasion, as well as peritoneal disseminati
on. Furthermore, c-met positive tumors had a tendency to metastasize t
o more distant lymph node sites. Regarding the macroscopic type, Borrm
ann type 4 gastric cancer showed the highest incidence (12/16, 76%) of
positive c-met expression. Patients with c-met positive tumor ran a s
ignificantly poorer prognosis than those with c-met negative one. Thes
e results indicate that the c-met protein participates in the progress
ion and invasion of stomach cancer, and that c-met tissue status is a
useful biological marker in gastric cancer.