[Correlation between the expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator, E-cadherin and malignancy in gastric cancer].

We aim to elucidate the correlation between clinicopathological parameters and uPA and ECD expression in gastric cancer. Some 125 patients with primary gastric cancer, who were treated at the Second Department of Surgery, Kanazawa University, between 1988 and 1993, were enrolled in this study. The expression of uPA and ECD was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining using a anti-uPA and an anti-ECD monoclonal antibody. The nuclear DNA contents were measured by flow cytometry. Among 125 tumors, 42 (34%) were found to have preserved ECD expression (ECD (+)), and 83 (66%) reduced ECD expression (ECD (-)). uPA immunoreactivity was observed in 82 (65%) of 125 tumors. According to the expression of uPA and ECD status, groups of 22 uPA (-)/ECD (+), 21 uPA (+)/ECD (+), 17 uPA (-)/ECD (-) and 65 uPA (+)/ECD (-) were identified. There was a significant correlation between uPA (+)/ECD (-) status and depth of invasion, liver metastasis, peritoneal dissemination, lymph node metastasis, and venous invasion. Patients with uPA (+)/ECD (-) tumors showed the poorest prognosis and the highest rate of recurrence, as compared with the other groups of patients. No significant correlations were found between uPA (+)/ECD (-) status and DNA ploidy patterns, and histological type. Immunohistochemical analysis of the combination of uPA and ECD expression could be a useful method for the evaluation of metastasis and prognosis in gastric cancer patients. Our results indicate that uPA may have an important role in cancer infiltration and ECD in cancer infiltration and metastasis.