Detection of Lgr5 and CD44 expression in gastric cancer using tissue microarrays

LIU Yuanhua; FAN Xiangshan; YUN Yan

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-4136.2015.06.001

Abstract：Objective To study the expression levels of Lgr5 and CD44 and the clinicopathological signifi-cances in gastric cancer tissue. Methods Tissue microarray and immunohistochemical staining was used to de-tect the expression of Lgr5 and CD44 in 273 cases of patients who had undergone gastrectomy for gastric adeno-carcinoma. The correlation between Lgr5 and CD44 expression as well as the clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed using statistical method. Results Lgr5 expression was associated with advanced pathological TNM stage( P = 0. 025). Lgr5 expression was not associated with poorly differentiated histology, invasion depth, lymph node metastasis and lymphatic invasion(P > 0. 05). CD44 expression was not correlated with clinicopathological features(P > 0. 05). Lgr5 expression was not correlated with CD44 expression(P > 0. 05). High Lgr5 expression, high CD44 expression, poorly differentiated histology and advanced pathological TNM stage were strong predictors of death in logistic regression analysis. Both Lgr5 expression and CD44 expression were associated significantly with poor overall survival in univariate analysis(P < 0. 05). Furthermore, on the basis multivariate analysis, Lgr5 and CD44 were independent markers of poor prognosis, along with pathological TNM stage and histologic grade(P < 0. 05). Conclusions Lgr5 expression and CD44 expression might be use-ful markers of poor prognosis in gastric cancer.