DNA ploidy, Ki-67 and p53 as indicators of lymph node metastasis in early gastric carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To perform flow cytometric and immunohistochemical analysis of e arly gastric carcinoma in order to investigate the clinical value of DNA pl oidy, Ki-67 and p53 as indicators of lymph node metastasis. STUDY DESIGN: We studied 108 cases of surgically resected early gastric car cinoma, which comprised 21 cases showing positive lymph node metastasis (gr oup A) and 87 cases showing negative lymph node metastasis (group B). RESULTS: Aneuploidy was seen in 16 cases (76.2%) in group A in contrast to 10 cases (11.5%) in group B (P = .0029). The mean value of the Ki-67 labeli ng rate in all cases was 21.9%, and 15 cases (79.0%) showed a Ki-67 labelin g rate of more than 21.9% in group A, while they numbered 32 (37.4%) in gro up B (P = .0016). Cases with cells positive for p53 protein numbered 15 (75 %) in group A, while they numbered 38 (46%) in group B (P = .0460). CONCLUSION: DNA aneuploidy, a high labeling rate of Ki-67 and overexpressio n of p53 are all useful indicators of lymph node metastasis in patients wit h early gastric carcinoma.