[Expression of microvessel density in multistep tissues of gastric carcinoma and significance thereof].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of microvessel density (MVD) in multistep tissue of gastric carcinoma and CD34 in the multistep tissue of gastric carcinogens. METHODS: 277 specimens of gastric diseases, 56 specimens of chronic gastritis, 50 specimens of chronic atrophic gastritis, 59 specimens of intestinal metaplasia, 61 specimens of dysplasia, 57 specimens of gastric carcinoma with lymph node metastases, and 55 specimens of gastric carcinoma without lymph node metastases, obtained from pathological department, Sun Yat-sen university, underwent pathological examination and immunohistochemistry to detect the expression of CD34 antigen that is expressed only in the endothelial cells in tumor. RESULTS: The mean MVD was 13 +/- 10 in the specimens of chronic gastritis, 11 +/- 7 in the chronic atrophic gastritis group, 13 +/- 9 in the intestinal metaplasia group, 17 +/- 10 in the dysplasia group, 27 +/- 11 in the gastric carcinoma without lymph node metastases group, and 28 +/- 10 in the gastric carcinoma with lymph node metastases group. There were not significant differences in MVD among the chronic gastritis group, chronic atrophic gastritis group, and intestinal metaplasia group (all P > 0.05), there was a significant difference in MVD between the chronic gastritis group and dysplasia group (P < 0.05). In the specimens of gastric carcinoma, there were no significant difference in MVD between those with and without lymph node metastases (P > 0.05), and between those of high and low differentiation degrees (both P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The increase of expression of CD34 in the multistage tissues of gastric carcinoma is associated with the genesis of gastric cancer, and not be related to the gastric carcinoma metastases.