PURPOSE
We wanted to determine the prognostic significance of P-glycoprotein (Pgp) and multi drug resistance-assdegrees Ciated protein (MRP) in stage III gastric adendegrees Carcinoma by evaluating whe ther the Pgp and/or MRP expression correlate with various clinicopathological parameters and survival rates.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The expression of Pgp and/or MRP were studied immunohistdegrees Chemi cally by ABC method with paraffin-embedded tissue specimens which were surgically obtained from 64 cases of stage III gastric adendegrees Carcinomas at the Department of Surgery, Presbyterian Medical Center from 1991 to 1992. Statistical differences of both expression in various factors including survival rates and clinicopatholgical parameters were sought.
RESULTS
Expression rates of Pgp and MRP group were 50.0% and 43.7% respectively. There was no significant correlation between expression of two proteins and various clinicopathological variables such as age, sex, stage, tumor depth, number of metastatic node, tumor size, site and method of operation. However, in case of the degree of differenciation, the expression of Pgp and/or MRP was significantly greater in well differenciated adendegrees Carcinoma than in poorly dif ferenciated adendegrees Carcinoma (p=0.001, p=0.012).
Statistically, no significant correlations between the expression of Pgp and/or MRP and overall survival rates were found.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that the Pgp and/or MRP expression in patients with stage III gastric adendegrees Carcinomas are not useful in determining postoperative chemotherapy and as an independent predictor of survival.