[New prognostic factors in human gastric carcinomas]

Correlation between the expression of growth factor/receptor systems or the alterations of tumor suppressor genes and biological malignancy of gastric cancer was described. Overexpression of many growth factors/receptors, such as EGF, TGF alpha, EGF receptor and ERBB2, and reduction of type I receptor for TGF beta may be linked with new prognostic factors of gastric carcinomas. The expression of cripto, a novel gene of EGF family, shows a tendency to correlate with tumor staging of well differentiated gastric adenocarcinomas. p53 gene abnormalities take place in 60% of gastric carcinomas including early stage carcinoma. Loss of heterozygosity on chromosomes 1q, 7p and 7q is frequently observed in advanced gastric carcinomas of well differentiated type. Molecules which regulate tumor invasion and metastasis such as nm23, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) and endogenous galactoside-binding lectin may provide for prognostic factors of gastric cancer.