Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was carried out to clarify significance of types of intestinal metaplasia and roles of bcl-2, p53 and c-erbB-2 protein in the development of gastric carcinoma.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Total one hundred fifty nine cases of surgically resected stomachs with benign ulcer (n=21), dysplasia (n=18) and gastric carcinoma (n=120) were studied histologically, histochemically and immunohistochemically.
RESULTS
Type III intestinal metaplasia was significantly more common in the carcinoma patients in older age group. Bcl-2 expression was found in 94.4% cases of dysplasia and 75.0% cases of carcinoma. Positivity for bcl-2 protein was significantly higher in intestinal type carcinomas than in diffuse type carcinomas (p=0.000). The expression of p53 protein showed 50.0% cases of dysplasia and 49.2% cases of carcinoma. The expression of p53 protein was significantly correlated with depth of invasion (p=0.000), regional lymph node metastasis (p=0.001), and tumor size (p=0.001). C-erbB-2 protein was only expressed in 15.0% cases of carcinoma. The expression of c-erbB-2 protein was found more often in advanced carcinomas (p=0.001) and carcinomas with regional lymph node metastasis (p=0.003).
CONCLUSION
Type III intestinal metaplasia was associated with age, but not with types of gastric carcinoma. Bcl-2 protein is probably involved in dysplastic lesion of gastric carcinogenic sequence and associated with intestinal type carcinoma, and p53 protein is also involved in dysplasia. p53 protein and c-erbB-2 protein may have a role of tumor invasion and nodal metastasis as poor prognostic factors.

• Keywords: Intestinal metaplasia;Gastric carcinoma;bcl-2 protein;p53 protein;c-erbB-2 protein