Objective To summarize the roles of tumor initiating cells （TICs） and epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） in tumor metastasis and drug resistance. Methods Domestic and international publications online which involving TICs，EMT，and its roles in tumor metastasis and drug resistance in recent years were reviewed. Results TICs were self-renewal cells and had the ability to give rise to more differentiated cell types，and played an important role in tumor metastasis and drug resistance. Various markers had been used to identify TICs，such as CD133，CD44，and so on. EMT was the process by which epithelial cells losed polarity and detach from the epithelial sheet， and acquired a motile mesenchymal phenotype，usually observed in embryo development and wound healing. It also could promote tumor progression and metastasis，and may also be responsible for the ability of tumors to evade the body’s immune response. EMT may be the reasons of TICs that drived tumor metastasis and recurrence. TICs or EMT as a target for treatments may effectively prevent tumor recurrence and improve patient’s survival. Conclusions EMT is probably the mechanism that TICs promote tumor metastasis and drug resistance. More effective target therapies for cancer may be found if we know more about TICs and EMT.
Objective To summarize the research progress of CO2 pneumoperitoneum impacts on invasiveness of cancer cells. Methods Currently published experimental and clinical researches related to the effect of CO2 pneumoperitoneum on invasiveness of cancer cells were reviewed. Results CO2 pneumoperitoneum may affect the invasiveness of cancer cell through several ways， such as changing the structure and function of mesothelial cell， changing microenvironment of peritoneum， influencing the expression of oncogen， affecting the secretion of cell factor， and changing the adhesion of cancer cell. Conclusions The consequences of these alterations to cancer cell and the microenvironment are not well understood， but they may facilitate tumor invasion and implantation. Further investigations in this area are very urgent.
Objective To summarize the status of tumor stem cells investigations in gastrointestinal carcinoma. Methods Domestic and international publications online involving tumor stem cells of gastrointestinal carcinoma in recent years were collected and reviewed. Results There are a small quantity of cancer cells shown some stem cell characteristics. They are named tumor stem cell and play an important role in tumorigenesis, proliferation, metastasis and recurrence. And also, tumor stem cells can resist the effect of antineoplastic drugs and lead to tumor recurrence. These tumor-initiating cells are CD133-positive in the gastrointestinal carcinomas, especially in colorectal cancers. CD133-positive colorectal cancer cells have the abilities of clone, proliferation, differentiation and form metastases. And a high CD133 mRNA content was found in the blood of patients who suffered from bone metastases. Conclusion The characteristics of CD133-positive cancer cell and the mechanisms of stem cell-niche system are the basis of developing better methods to tumor diagnosis and treatment, and provide theoretical basis of new methods, such as targeted therapy.
Objective To investigate the expression of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and its clinical significance in blood plasma of patients with breast tumor. Methods The level of SDF-1 protein was examined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in blood plasma of 26 patients with breast benign tumor and 52 patients with breast cancer. Results The SDF-1 protein in blood plasma was detected in both breast benign tumor patients and breast cancer ones. The level of SDF-1 protein in patients with breast cancer was higher than that in ones with breast benign tumor, and there was a statistical difference between them （P=0.000）. In patients with breast cancer, the level of SDF-1 protein in axillary lymph node (ALN) metastasis positive patients was significantly higher than that in ALN metastasis negative ones （P=0.036）. Conclusion The level of SDF-1 protein in blood plasma may be a specific tumor marker. Its level is correlated with lymph node involvement in breast cancer.
Objective The currently pertinent articles about the molecular mechanism of recurrence and metastasis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were reviewed. Methods Literatures that related to the molecular mechanism of the recurrence and metastasis of HCC were summarized retrospectively in this review. Results Several genes, such as the growth factors and the corresponding receptors, the adhesive molecule, and the extracellular matrix and many factors, such as the oxygen supply, tumor angiogenesis and the immune system, all took important roles in the process of recurrence and metastasis of HCC, which involves many steps. Conclusion The study of the recurrence and metastasis of HCC should be emphasized further since early intervening the genes that are related to the recurrence and metastasis may help prevent the recurrence and metastasis of HCC completely, decrease the death rate and improve patients’ life quality in the long term.
Objective To detect the tissue factor (TF) mRNA expression in hepatocellular carcinoma and to elucidate its significance. Methods TF mRNA was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） in 27 cases of human hepatocellular carcinoma tissue specimen with their adjacent tissues and in 27 non-tumorous process tissues. Then the relationship between mRNA expression and pathological data were analyzed. Results The expression and the relative expression intensity of TF in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues were 62.96%（17/27） and 0.567±0.268 respectively, which were significantly higher than those in their adjacent tissues 〔33.33%(9/27), 0.469±0.184〕 and in 27 non-tumorous process tissue 〔29.63%(8/27), 0.353±0.121〕, Plt;0.05. The relative expression intensity of TF were associated with tumor size, intrahepatic and extrahepatic metastasis and portal vein invasion, but unrelated to gender, AFP level, differentiation, HBsAg, cirrhosis, number of tumor lesions, and lymph node metastasis (Pgt;0.05). Conclusion Expression of TF mRNA were significantly higher in hepatocellular carcinoma and in the invasive and metastatic tissue, which indicated that TF may play an important role in carcinogenesis, invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma.
【Abstract】ObjectiveTo study the relationship between expression of CD44v6 in gastric carcinoma and neoplasm metastasis and prognosis. MethodsExpression of CD44v6 in 52 cases of gastric carcinoma was assayed by flow immunocytometry, and its relation with clinical pathology and prognosis was analyzed. ResultsIn 52 cases of gastric carcinoma tissue, the positive rate of CD44v6 expression was 67.31%(35/52); but the positive rate of CD44v6 expression in normal gastric tissue was 25.00% (13/52). The positive rate of expression was significantly different (P＜0.01). The positive rate of CD44v6 expression in gastric carcinoma tissues was related to the depth of carcinoma infiltration, lymph node metastasis and pTNM stage （P＜0.05）. ConclusionExpression of CD44v6 plays an important role in invasion, metastasis and pTNM stage of gastric carcinoma. It may be used as a new indicator to predict metastatic potential and prognosis of gastric carcinoma.
【Abstract】Objective To study the correlation between focal adhesion kinase (FAK) expression and biological behavior of invasion and metastasis in gastric carcinoma. MethodsThe immunoreactivity of FAK was revealed by immunohistochemical method in gastric carcinoma tissues,canceradjacent tissues, normal gastric mucosa,and 200 regional lymph nodes in 50 collected specimens when radical resection of gastric carcinoma were carried out. ResultsThe percentage of FAK bly positive immunoreactivity were 10.0%（5/50）， 20.0%（10/50） and 78.0%（39/50） in normal gastric mucosa， cancer-adjacent tissues and gastric carcinoma tissues respectively. The b immunoreactivity was obviously higher in gastric carcinoma tissues than that in normal gastric mucosa or canceradjacent tissues (P＜0.01). There were no difference between normal gastric mucosa and canceradjacent tissues (Pgt;0.05). The percentage of bly positive immunoreactivity of FAK were 68.8%（22/32） and 33.3%（6/18） in cases with metastasis and without metastasis of lymph node respectively. The immunoreactivity of FAK in cases with metastasis of lymph node was significantly higher than that without metastasis of lymph node (P＜0.05).The b immunoreactivity of FAK were 87.2%（136/156） and 40.9%(18/44) in withmetastatic lymph node and withoutmetastatic lymph node. The immunoreactivity of FAK in withmetastatic lymph node was significantly higher than that withoutmetastatic lymph node （P＜0.01）. The percentage of FAK bly positive immunoreactivity showed correlation with the cellular differentiation and depth of infiltration of gastric carcinoma. The deeper infiltration and lower differentiation, the ber expression rate was obtained (P＜0.05), which showed no correlation with Borrmann type, location and size of tumor (Pgt;0.05). ConclusionIncreased immunoreactivity of FAK is an important role of invasion and metastasis for gastric carcinoma cells. Detection of FAK expression in cancer tissues can be helpful to understand the carcinogenic biological behavior of gastric carcinoma as well as to make judgment and treatment of prognosis of patients.
【Abstract】ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between expression of Seprase and the clinicopathologic characteristics in colorectal cancer. MethodsThe expression of Seprase in 50 cases of colorectal cancer was detected with immunohistochemistry, Western-blotting technique and semi-quantitative immunohistochemistry, and the relationship between the expression of Seprase and the clinicopathologic characteristics (age, gender, tumor location, tumor size, gross appearance, depth of infiltration, histological classification, lymph node metastasis, venous infiltration, Dukes stage, distant metastasis) was analyzed. ResultsThe expression of Seprase was found both in tumor cells and adjacent stromal cells. The level of Seprase protein was higher in cancer tissue than that in normal tissue, and a semiquantitative assessment of the immunohistochemistry revealed a significant correlation between Seprase expression and the Dukes stage and the lymph node metastasis. ConclusionThe abundant expression of Seprase in colorectal cancer tissue is associated with the Dukes stage and the lymph node metastasis.
Objective To investigate the relation between CD44v6 and lymph node metastasis and prognosis of gastric carcinoma. Methods The expression of CD44v6 in 100 cases of advanced human gastric carcinoma was detected by immunohistochemical twostep method. Its relation with clinical pathology and prognosis was analyzed. Results CD44v6 expression occurred in 64%(64/100) of all gastric carcinomas; with the increase of depth of cancer invasion and local lymph node metastasis, the expression of CD44v6 elevated. Conclusion CD44v6 plays an important role in lymph node metastasis of human gastric carcinoma. It may be used as a new indicator to predict metastatic potential and prognosis of gastric carcinoma.