Expression of eukaryotic initiation factor 3f is associated with prognosis in gastric carcinomas

Eukaryotic initiation factor 3f (eIF3f) expression, which plays an important role in human cancer, is significantly decreased in various types of cancers. The aim of this study was to detect the expression of eIF3f in gastric carcinoma (GC), which until now has not been reported.

Expression of eIF3f was detected by immunohistochemistry in GC tissues and adjacent non-cancerous tissues (ANCT) from 195 patients with stage I-III GC who underwent curative gastrectomy. Clinicopathological results, including survival, were analyzed.

Expression rate of eIF3f in GC and ANCT were 44.8 and 81.7% respectively. Low expression of eIF3f was significantly associated with an increased serum level of carcinoma embryonic antigen (p = 0.02), but not with levels of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (p = 0.29). eIF3f levels were linked to more advanced tumor stages and likelihood of recurrence (all p < 0.05).The Kaplan-Meier survival curves indicated that decreased expression of eIF3f was a significant factor for a poor prognosis for GC patients (p = 0.04).

eIF3f may play an important role in recurrence. Its function and potential as a prognostic marker should be further verified in GC.