Relationship between LYVE-1, VEGFR-3 and CD44 gene expressions and lymphatic metastasis in gastric cancer

AIM: To investigate the expression levels of lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1 (LYVE-1), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 (VEGFR-3) and CD44 genes and the relationship between their lev- els and clinicopathological parameters in gastric cancer.METHODS: Tissue samples were obtained from 33 patients (8 females) with gastric cancer. mRNA levels of LYVE-1, VEGFR-3 and CD44 in normal and tumor tissues were quantitatively measured using real time polymerase chain reaction. The results were correlated with lymph node metastasis, histological type and differentiation of the tumor, T-stage, and presence of vascular, perineural and lymphatic invasions. The distribution of molecules in the tissue was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: LYVE-1, CD44 and VEGFR-3 gene expression levels were significantly higher in gastric cancer than in normal tissue. While there was no correlation between gene expressions and clinicopathologic fea- tures such as histologic type, differentiation and stage, gene expression levels were found to be increased in conjunction with positive lymph node/total lymph node ratio and the presence of perineural invasion. A significant correlation was also found between LYVE-1 and CD44 over-expressions and perineural invasion and lymph node positivity in gastric cancers. When the dis- tribution of LYVE-1 antibody-stained lymphatic vessels in tissue was evaluated, lymphatic vessels were located intra-tumorally in 13% and peri-tumorally in 27% of the patients. Moreover, lymph node metastases were also positive in all patients with LYVE-1-staining. CONCLUSION: LYVE-1, VEGFR-3 and CD44 all play an important role in lymphangiogenesis, invasion and metastasis. LYVE-1 is a perfectly reliable lymphatic vessel marker and useful for immunohistochemistry.

Predictors of poor outcome in gastrointestinal bleeding in emergency department

AIM: To determine the prognostic risk factors of gastrointestinal bleeding in emergency department cases.METHODS: The trial was a retrospective single-center study involving 600 patients over 18-years-old and carried out with approval by the Institutional Ethics Committee. Patient data included demographic characteristics, symptoms at admission, past medical history, vital signs, laboratory results, endoscopy and colonoscopy results, length of hospital stay, need of intensive care unit(ICU) admission, and mortality. Mortality rate was the principal endpoint of the study, while duration of hospital stay, required interventional treatment, and admission to the ICU were secondary endpoints.RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 61.92-yearsold. Among the 600 total patients, 363(60.5%) underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and the most frequent diagnoses were duodenal ulcer(19.2%) and gastric ulcer(12.8%). One-hundred-and-fifteen(19.2%) patients required endoscopic treatment, 20(3.3%) required surgical treatment, and 5(0.8%) required angiographic embolization. The mean length of hospital stay was 5.21 ± 5.85 d. The mortality rate was 6.3%. The ICU admission rate was 5.3%. Patients with syncope, higher blood glucose levels, and coronary artery disease had significantly higher ICU admission rates(P = 0.029, P = 0.043, and P = 0.002, respectively). Patients with low thrombocyte levels, high creatinine, high international normalized ratio, and high serum transaminase levels had significantly longer hospital stay(P = 0.02, P = 0.001, P = 0.019, and P = 0.005, respectively). Patients who died had significantly higher serum blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels(P = 0.016 and P = 0.038), and significantly lower mean blood pressure and oxygen saturation(P = 0.004 and P = 0.049). Malignancy and low Glasgow coma scale(GCS) were independent predictive factors of mortality.CONCLUSION: Prognostic factors for gastrointestinal bleeding in emergency room cases are malignancy, hypotension on admission, low GCS, and impaired kidney function.