Role of RECK methylation in gastric cancer and its clinical significance

AIM:To investigate the relation between RECK methylation and clinicopathological characteristics of gastric cancer patients and evaluate the role of RECK methylation in peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer.METHODS:Methylation of RECK gene in 40 paired samples of gastric cancer and its corresponding adjacent normal mucosa,lymph nodes and peritoneal irrigation fluid was detected by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction.RESULTS:Aberrant methylation of RECK gene was detected in 27.5%(11/40)of the adjacent normal mucosa samples,in 47.5%(19/40)of gastric cancer samples,in 57.1%(12/21)of the lymph node samples,and in 35%(14/40)of peritoneal irrigation fluid samples,respectively,with a significant difference between the adjacent normal mucosa and lymph node samples(P=0.023).Presence of RECK methylation in the primary tumor samples was significantly correlated with tumor invasion(P=0.023).The accuracy of RECK methylation in peritoneal lavage fluid samples for the diagnosis of peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer was 72.5%(26/40),with a sensitivity of 66.7%(6/9) and a specificity of 74.2%(23/31).CONCLUSION:Aberrant methylation of RECK gene may provide useful information for the early diagnosis and treatment of peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer.