Prognostic importance of RASSF2 expression in patients with gastric cancer who had undergone radical gastrectomy

BACKGROUND

Although Ras-association domain family of gene 2 (RASSF2) has been shown to undergo promoter methylation at high frequency in some cancer types and in brain metastases, its clinical utility as a useful prognostic molecular marker remains unclear in gastric cancer.

METHODS

Prognostic significance of RASSF2 expression was retrospectively analysed by immunohistochemically in 105 patients with gastric cancer who underwent curative gastrectomy.

RESULTS

Low RASSF2 expression was detected in 58 (55 %) patients, whereas 47 patients (45 %) had high RASSF2 expression. Lymph node involvement, pT stage, TNM stage, vascular invasion, perineural invasion and the presence of recurrence were found to be significantly related to RASSF2 expression levels. Low PRL-3 expression was closely correlated with lymph node metastasis (p = 0.001), advanced pT stage (p = 0.021), advanced TNM stage (p < 0.001), the presence of vascular invasion (p < 0.001), perineural invasion (p = 0.018) and high prevalence of recurrence (p = 0.003) compared with high RASSF2 expression. The median disease-free survival (DFS) time for patients with low RASSF2 expression was significantly worse than that of patients with high RASSF2 expression (10.2 vs. 50.6 months, p < 0.001). In addition, patients with high RASSF2 expression had the higher overall survival (OS) interval compared to patients with low RASSF2 expression (NR vs. 14.9 months, p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, the rate of RASSF2 expression levels was an independent prognostic factor, for DFS [p < 0.001, HR 0.12 (0.10-0.88)] and OS [p < 0.001, HR 0.10 (0.04-0.46)], as were pT stage and TNM stage, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

RASSF2 may be an important molecular marker for carcinogenesis, prognosis and progression in gastric cancer, but the potential value of RASSF2 expression as a useful molecular marker in gastric cancer progression should be evaluated, comprehensively. It would be possible to develop treatments targeting RASSF2 and advance new treatment strategies for gastric cancer.

Granulomatous gastritis due to taeniasis

Taeniasis is very common all over the world and invades the upper small bowel in humans. It is very unusual to see this parasite in the stomach. We report a case of gastric taeniasis that led to granulomatous gastritis. The elimination of the parasite resulted in complete disappearance of the granulomas in the corpus and antrum and in complete recovery of the patient.

The effect of iatrogenic vas deferens injury on fertility in an experimental rat model

The long-term result of accidental crushing of the vas deferens during inguinal surgery is unpredictable. It is stated that even a slight disturbance in the muscular layer or mucosa may endanger fertility. This study was designed to investigate the early and late histopathologic changes of iatrogenic injury on the vas and its effect on fertility in a rat model. Both vasa deferentia of 54 male rats, divided into three groups (n = 18 each), were subjected to an operative manipulation. These manipulations consisted of digital compression for 45 seconds in group A, grasping with a mosquito clamp for 2 seconds in group B, and grasping with a mosquito clamp for 2 minutes in group C. In five rats from each group, the vasa were removed on the third and 21st postoperative day for histological evaluation. The remaining 13 rats in each group were allowed to mate for a period of 4 months. Bilateral vasa were analyzed for patency and histology. A spermatic granuloma was observed in 79% of the fertile and 80% of the infertile rats. Statistical analysis showed no significant fertility difference among the three groups. There was no statistical difference between groups B and C (P > .05) in terms of high and low flow patency rates in vitro, whereas a statistical significance was present between these two groups and group A (P< .001). It can be said that type rather than time of injury is important in this experimental model, because the results of the patency test alone are sufficient to prove the possibility of functional damage in vas deferens. The authors conclude that inguinal contents should be handled carefully and contralateral exploration in asymptomatic cases older than 1 year with inguinal pathology should be avoided.