RELATIONS OF NM23 EXPRESSION TO CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL VARIABLES AND PROLIFERATIVE ACTIVITY OF GASTRIC-CANCER LESIONS

Relationships of nm23 expression and 12 clinicopathologic variables an d proliferative activity of cancer cells were examined in 55 gastric c ancer patients to clarify the effects of nm23 expression on the factor s and activity in gastric cancer. Expression of nm23 was determined by immunohistochemically stained sections using a monoclonal antibody, n m23H-1. Proliferative activity was immunohistochemically evaluated by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) labeling index (LI) using a monoclonal antibody PC10. Expression of nm23 was found in 24 lesions ( positive group) but not in 31 lesions (negative group). With regard to clinicopathologic variables, a significant (p < 0.05) difference betw een the positive and negative groups was found in 1 of the 12 factors, depth of cancer invasion. PCNA LI (48.9 +/- 11.6%) of the former grou p was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that (40.3 +/- 12.6%) ot th e latter, although multiple regression analysis showed that nm23 expre ssion was not one of the most influencing variables for PCNA LI. The r esults may suggest that expression of nm23 in gastric cancer lesions i s correlated to tumor progression and/or proliferation rather than sup pression of metastasis.