The relationship between the expressions of the cell adhesion molecule CD44H, CD44v3, and CD44v6 and metastases in gastric cancer

Expression of CD44 variants in some tissues appears to relate to tumor progression, and particularly to the metastatic potential of some cancers. The aim of this study was to clarify the relation between the expression of CD44 splice variants and tumor metastasis by using CD44v-specific gastric cancer monoclonal antibodies. A total of 110 patients with primary gastric cancer were studied. Histological samples of 70 of the 110 (63.6%) were stained with three monoclonal antibodies directed against the CD44H and CD44 variants (CD44v3, CD44v6) in gastric cancer. The incidence of lymph node metastasis was higher in the CD44H strongerexpression group than in the weaker expression group. No significant correlation could be found between CD44H, CD44V3, or CD44v6 expression and liver metastasis or histological types (differentiated vs.undifferentiated) . Lymph node metastasis correlated with CH44H rather than CD44v3 or CD44v6. These results suggested that CD44H might be a useful marker for lymph node metastasis in resected gas-tric cancer. The 5-year survival rate was 57.3% in the group positively ex-pressing CD44 and 52.4% in the group with negative expression of CD44. Concerning prognosis, we found here that the expression of CD44 is not sig-nificantly associated with increased mortality. Further study of the expression of specific isoforms may help elucidate in more detail the mechanisms of these findings.departmental bulletin pape