AMPLIFICATION OF THE C-MET, C-ERBB2 AND EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR RECEPTOR GENE IN HUMAN GASTRIC CANCERS - CORRELATION TO CLINICAL-FEATURES

We examined amplification of the c-met, c-erbB-2, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene in the patients with primary gastric canc er, and compared the data with clinical features in order to clarify t he relationship between oncogenic abnormality and clinical features. O ncogene amplifications were examined by slot blot hybridization using DNAs extracted from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues of pr imary gastric cancers. Seven of the seventy cancers (10.0%) had c-met gene amplification, nine (12.9%) had c-erbB-2 gene amplification, and six (8.6%) had EGFR gene amplification, respectively. Eighteen cases ( 25.7%) exhibited one or multiple oncogene amplification, and two cases (2.9%) exhibited simultaneous amplification of the three genes. The c ases with c-met gene amplification tend to show invasive character and were related to peritoneal dissemination. The cases with c-erbB-2 gen e amplification were related to lymph node metastasis. The cases with EGFR gene amplification had large tumors and were in highly advanced s tage. The survival rate in patients with oncogene amplification was si gnificantly lower than that in patients without amplification. Our dat a indicated that these genes were related to growth and metastasis of gastric cancer. Furthermore, this study about the three genes suggeste d that the type of activated gene might decide on the type of metastas is and clinical features.