High frequency of microsatellite instability in intestinal-type gastric cancer in Korean patients

Although there have been some reports on microsatellite alterations in gastric cancer, findings are inconsistent regarding the associations between histological classification and microsatellite instability (MSI). In the present study, we attempted to determine whether Lauren's histological subtypes are related with MSI status.

Paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 14 diffuse-type and 14 intestinal-type gastric adenocarcinomas were matched up according to patient gender and age. Mononucleotide markers (BAT25 and BAT26) and dinucleotide markers (D2S123, D5S346, and D175S250) were used for MSI analyses. Microsatellite genotypes were categorized in terms of high MSI incidence (MSI-H, >30% positive marker) or low MSI incidence (MSI-L, <30% positive marker). Losses of hMLH1 and hMSH2 protein expression were immunohistochemically studied.

MSI-H was observed in 11 cases (78%) of the 14 intestinal-type cases as compared to 3 (21%) of the 14 diffuse-type cases (p=0.007). In MSI-H tumors, 10 cases (71%) showed losses of hMLH1 protein expression, while 2 cases (14%) in MSI-L tumors showed losses of hMLH1 protein expression (p=0.006).

MSI-H tumors are more frequently found in intestinal-type gastric cancer, which suggests the possibility that there are different pathogenic pathways in gastric carcinogenesis according to histologic type.