K. Tsugawa et al., AMPLIFICATION OF THE C-MET, C-ERBB2 AND EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR RECEPTOR GENE IN HUMAN GASTRIC CANCERS - CORRELATION TO CLINICAL-FEATURES, Oncology, 55(5), 1998, pp. 475-481
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.