[Expression of nm23 in gastrointestinal smooth muscle tumors and its relation to cell proliferative activity]

To determine the relationship between nm23 expression and benign or malignant degree, metastasis, prognosis and cell proliferative activity of gastrointestinal smooth muscle tumors (GISMT).

86 cases of GISMT were studied, and nm23 was detected by the immunohistochemical staining S-P method. The cell proliferative activity was evaluated by the silver colloid method for argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions proteins (AgNORs) and by the immunohistochemical staining S-P method for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA).

The expression of nm23 declined significantly according to the following order: leiomyomas, low malignant leiomyosarcomas, high malignant leiomyosarcomas (P < 0.01). The expression of nm23 was associated with the tumors with or without contiguous organ invasion or distant metastasis, the size of tumors, the tumors with or without center necrosis (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The five-year survival rate was significantly higher in patients with nm23 positive expression than that with nm23 negative expression (P < 0.05). The expression of AgNORs and PCNA with nm23 negative cases was obviously higher than that with nm23 positive cases (P < 0.01).

nm23 is a valuable indicator for the biological characteristics of GISMT. nm23 expression and cell proliferative activity can supply a deficiency each other in distinguishing malignant from benign tumors, judging the malignant degree, and predicting the prognosis of the patients with GISMT.