Objective: To determine on the expression of prostate stem cell antigen (PCSA )and Oct-4 and detect their clinicopathological significance in benign and malignant lesions of the stomach.
Methods: EnVision immunohistochemistry for assaying the expression of PSCA and Oct-4 was used in paraffin-embedded sections from specimens of primary foci (n = 58) and metastatic foci of regional lymph nodes (n = 36) of gastric cancer, peritumoral tissues (n = 20), and benign lesions of the stomach (n = 80).
Results: The positive rates of PSCA and Oct-4 were significantly higher in gastric cancer than those in peritumoral tissues and benign lesions (P<0.05 or P<0.01).The positive cases of PSCA and Oct-4 in peritumoral tissues and benign lesions showed mild- to severe-atypical hyperplasia. No difference of the positive rate of PSCA and Oct-4 was found between the primary foci and the metastatic foci of gastric cancer(P > 0.05). The positive rates of PSCA and Oct-4 were significantly lower in infiltrating depth T(1) to approximately T(2), non-metastasis of lymph nodes, metastasis of lymph nodes N1 site, and non-metastasis of distant organs than those in infiltrating depth T(3) to approximately T(4), metastasis of lymph nodes, metastasis of lymph node N(2) to approximately N(3) site, and metastasis of distant organs(P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).Conclusion The expressive levels of PSCA and Oct-4 might be related to the invasive potential, metastasis of lymph nodes, and distant organs, it suggested the expressions levels of PSCA and Oct-4 might be important markers for reflecting the biological behaviors and prognosis of gastric cancer.