EXPRESSION AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF CD44 IN THEPERIPHERAL BLOOD OF PATIENTS WITH CASTRIC CANCER

Objective: To investigate the clinical significance of cell adhesive molecule (CD44) expression on periphery blood (PB) of patients with gastric cancer. Methods: Both the level of CD44 and the immunocyte phenotype of the lymphocytes of 110 patients with gastric cancer and 100 healthy subjects were examined by flow cytometry, and the results were analyzed pathologically and statistically. Results: The mean of the CD44% in PB of the healthy subjects was 46.14±3.4 and there were no statistic differences for their age and sex. Site of tumor growth: The significant difference (P<0.01) was present between the patients with the cardiac part (C) or body of gastric (M+C) cancer and normal individuals. The significant difference (P<0.05) was present between patients with the 3 sites involved gastric cancer and normal individuals. Type of tumor mass: The significant difference (P<0.05) was present between patients with mixed type gastric cancer and normal individuals. Size of tumor mass: The significant difference was present between the normal individuals and patients with gastric cancer > 10 cm mass (P<0.01) and 7–10 cm mass (P<0.05). Degree of tumor differentiation: The significant difference (P<0.01) was present between the patients with low differentiation gastric cancer and normal individuals. The significant difference (P<0.01) was present between patients with metastatic stage: The significant difference (P<0.01) was present lymph node gastric cancer and normal individuals. Clinical between the patients with advanced or relapsed gastric cancer and normal individuals. Age: The significant difference (P<0.01) was present between the gastric cancer patients under 59 years and normal individuals. Conclusion: The increased level of CD44 in the PB of patients with gastric cancer indicated the possible existence of relapse, advance or metastasis of tumors. When the tumor was poorly differentiated and bigger in tumor mass, the level of CD44% would be higher. Examining the level of CD44 by flow cytometry in the periphery blood of patients with gastric cancer was useful for the prognosis.

EXPRESSION OF IL-2R ON PERIPHERAL BLOOD LYMPHOCYTES OF PATIENTS WITH COLORECTAL CANCER AND ITS CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Objective: To study expression of membrane receptors of interleukin-2 (CD25) on the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of patients with colorectal cancer and its clinical significance. Methods: CD25 percentages (CD25%) in PBL of 105 colorectal cancer patients before operation and 100 normal individuals were examined by flow cytometer, and the results were clinically and pathologically analyzed. Results: The mean of CD25% in PBL of the normal individuals was 17.24±5.33, it was significantly lower (P<0.01) than that of the colon cancer patients (21.29±7.95) or rectal cancer patients (21.62±6.11). In contrast to the normal individuals, the means of CD25% in PBL in ulcer type (20.53±6.50) or protruded type (21.56±6.16) colorectal cancer patients were notably elevated (P<0.01). The significant difference (P<0.01) of means of CD25% in PBL was observed between the normal individuals and patients with less than 4 cm mass (22.10±5.43) or 4cm–8cm mass (20.90±6.96). The significant difference (P<0.05) of means of CD25% in PBL was also observed between the normal individuals and patients with greater than 8 cm mass (21.56±5.41). The mean of CD25% in PBL in patients with well differentiation colorectal cancer was 22.20±5.50, it was significantly higher than that in normal individuals (P<0.05). The means of CD25% in PBL in patients with middle or poor differentiation colorectal cancer were 21.30±6.89 and 22.15±5.71 respectively, they were obviously higher than that in normal individuals (P<0.01). The significant difference (P<0.01) of means of CD25% in PBL was present between the colorectal cancer patients without metastatic lymph nodes (22.06±6.90) and normal individuals. The significant difference (P<0.05) of means of CD25% in PBL was present between the colorectal cancer patients with metastatic lymph nodes (20.73±6.40) and normal individuals. The means of CD25% in PBL in colorectal cancer patients in various clinic stages were significantly higher than that in the health subjects (P<0.01). The significant difference (P<0.01) of means of CD25% in PBL was present between the patients whose ages were equal to or less than 60 (21.00±5.76) and normal individuals in the same age group. The significant difference (P<0.05) of means of CD25% in PBL was also present between the patients whose ages were greater than 60 (22.54±7.75) and normal individuals in the same age group. The significant difference (P<0.01) of means of CD25% in PBL was present between the male patients (22.55±7.05) and normal men. The significant difference (P<0.05) of means of CD25% in PBL was also present between the female patients (20.09±5.48) and normal women. Conclusion: The mean of CD25% in PBL of colorectal cancer patients was significantly higher than that in health subjects. Abnormally elevated CD25% were correlative with site of tumor growth, macropathology type of tumor, the degree of tumor differentiation, clinical stage and patient’s age and sex. It may be helpful to detect CD25% in PBL of colorectal cancer patients before operation for diagnosis, immune treatment and judging prognosis.

INTRATUMORAL DNA PLOID HETEROGENEITY IN ESOPHAGEAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA

In order to investigate the intratumoral DNA ploid heterogeneity (PH) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and its clinical-pathological significance, nuclear DNA ploidy of 80 cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus were determined with multiple samples removed from the same tumor, using a flow cytometry (FCM) technique. 240 samples for flow cytimetric DNA analysis were taken from 3 different parts if each tumor of 80 cases of specimens. DNA measurement was were present in a tumor or the variation in DI value among 3 peaks in each tumor was greater than 10%. Further more at last, comparison or clinical-pathological characteristics was performed between PHTs and N-PHT which has a similar ploid pattern in 3 sampling spots of each tumor (non PHT). DNA indices ranged from 0.77～1.74, and the incidence of DNA AN was 88. 8% (71/80) in this series. Of 80 cases, 38 cases (47. 5%, 38/80) showed intratumoral heterogeneity in DNA ploidy. The heterogeneity in DNA ploidy was related to the extent of wall penetration by the tumor,the incidence of lymph node metastasis and the patients's prognosis, not to histological grades and size of the tumor. There is PH phenomena in esophageal squmous cell carcinoma, and DNA PH may be a more exact indicator in reflecting the biological chatacteristics of the tumor and patient's prognosis.