In case of elevation of plasma CEA level before operation the pathological staging was advanced and prognosis was poor in colorectal, and lung cancer in may reports.
Since immunohistochemical CEA staining technique has been developed in formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue, in an attempt to understand the biological behaviour of gastric cancer better, the tissue expression of CEA has been investigated for
its
correlation with histological differentiation, disease extent and, prognosis.
But there is no consensus in the prognostic significance of tissue CEA expression.
So, auther is willing to confirm whether these relationships exist in gastric cancer. The formalin fixed paraffin embedded gastric cancer tissues were recut and immunohistochemical CEA staining was done in random sampled 97 cases who underwent
radical
gastric resection in 1985. The staining method was labelled streptavidin-biotin technique that is sensitive. Monoclonal anti-CEA antibody was used as a primary antibody. Conventional H & stained tissue slides were reviewed by on pathologist
consecutively. The patients survival were confirmed via postcard mail and telephone. The mean follow-up period is 50 months.
CEA positivity was 90%(88/97), weak postitive was 31 cases and strong postitive was 57 cases.
Tumor size, location CEA expression. Mucinous carcinoma were 10 cases and all of them was strong positive in CEA expression(p=0.02). Other histological types were statistically not different from the others in CEA expression.
The pattern of distribution of CEA in tumor cells were different as to the histological differentiation. In the well differentiated tubular adenocarcinomas CEA was demonstrated at the apical pole of the malignant cells as a roughened line
bordering
the
lumen of the malignant cells. CEA was not noted in the cytoplasm. In the signet ring cell carcinoma or poorly differentiated carcinomas, CEA appeared along the cytoplasmic membrane without polarity. Fine and coarse granular pattern was also noted
in the
cytoplasm of the cancer cells.
There was no correlation between tissue CEA expression and survival in overall cases. Separated analysis as to each pathological characteristics revealed no difference also.
Consequently, It suggests that presence or degree of tissue CEA expression in gastric cancer may not be associated with patients survival.
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