Small bowel cancer arising from a scar site more than 60 years after ileostomy closure: a case report.

Although small bowel cancer is rare, cases of carcinoma arising from the abdominal wall have not been reported. We report a case of a tumor arising from a stoma scar site, following ileostomy closure that was performed 60 years earlier. The tumor was resected for both therapeutic and diagnostic purposes and was found to be a primary cancer of the small intestine. The small intestinal mucosa survived long-term at the stoma scar site and developed carcinoma. No similar reports of small bowel cancer arising from the mucosa at the stoma scar site (on the abdominal wall) exist. After tumor resection, the patient received chemotherapy for lung metastases and has survived, thus far, for 2 years since the surgery.

Clinico-bacterial and prognostic factors in patients with suspected blood stream infection and elevated serum procalcitonin levels.

This study determined prognostic factors by comparing clinico-bacterial factors based on significant elevated serum procalcitonin levels in patients with suspected bloodstream infection (BSI). We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 1,052 patients (age ≥16 years) with fever (temperature ≥38°C) and serum procalcitonin levels of ≥2.0 ng/mL, and blood culture results. The optimal cutoff value of the significant elevation of procalcitonin was determined using the minimum P-value approach. Clinico-bacterial factors were analyzed per the procalcitonin levels, and significant independent factors for short-term survival were investigated in 445 patients with BSI. Patients with suspected BSI were aged, on average, 72.3 ± 15.1 years, and the incidence of positive blood culture was 42.3%; and the 14-day survival was 83.4%. Procalcitonin ≥100 ng/mL was the most significant predictor for survival. Multivariate analysis in patients with suspected BSI showed that estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <30 mL/min/1.73 m2 and procalcitonin ≥100 ng/mL were significant independent unfavorable prognostic factors. Microorganisms were similar between patients with procalcitonin level 2-99 ng/mL (n=359) and those with ≥100 ng/mL (n=86). Multivariate analysis in patients with BSI showed that eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m2, procalcitonin ≥100 ng/mL, and primary infectious foci were significant independent prognostic factors. Patients with foci in the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory system had unfavorable 14-day survival. In conclusions, eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m2 and procalcitonin ≥100 ng/mL were significant independent unfavorable prognostic factors for suspected BSI. Primary infectious foci (gastrointestinal tract and respiratory system) were associated with unfavorable short-term survival in patients with positive blood culture.

Predictive value of surveillance cultures for bacteremia caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales among patients with hematological diseases.

PURPOSE: Due to the increasing prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales, empirical therapies with cefepime or piperacillin/tazobactam for hematology patients with febrile neutropenia have become ineffective. Carbapenems should be administered as soon as possible in such patients with ESBL bacteremia. If the surveillance culture results are consistent with the blood culture findings, the time to adequate treatment initiation can be shortened. METHODS: All consecutive patients with Enterobacterales bacteraemia who were admitted from January 2013 to December 2018 at the hematology wards were enrolled in this study. Surveillance rectal swab and blood culture results were compared. RESULTS: In total, 67 patients with Enterobacterales bacteremia underwent surveillance culture prior to the onset of infection. Regarding the presence or absence of ESBL-producing Enterobacterales, 64 (95.5%) patients had surveillance results concordant with blood culture results. The positive predictive value of surveillance culture for bacteremia caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacterales was 95.0%. Moreover, the negative predictive value of surveillance culture for bacteremia caused by non-ESBL-producing Enterobacterales was 95.7%. CONCLUSION: The concordance rate between the surveillance rectal swab and blood cultures was highly acceptable. Surveillance rectal swab cultures are useful for identifying patients at high risk for ESBL bacteremia.

Schlafen 11 predicts response to platinum-based chemotherapy in gastric cancers.

BACKGROUND: Although unresectable or recurrent gastric cancers (GC) are frequently treated with platinum-based chemotherapy, response to treatment remains unpredictable. Because Schlafen 11 (SLFN11) is recently identified as a critical determinant of platinum sensitivity, we investigated the potential clinical utility of SLFN11 in the treatment of GC. METHODS: We analysed the correlation between SLFN11 expression and overall survival in 169 GC patients by our established immunohistochemical approach. The impact of SLFN11 expression on the response to platinum and transition of SLFN11 expression upon long-term treatment with platinum were examined using GC cell lines and organoids. RESULTS: GC patients with high-SLFN11 expression exhibited significantly better survival than those with low-SLFN11 expression, and the significance increased when we selected patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. Knockout of SLFN11 and reactivation of SLFN11 in GC cells conferred resistance and sensitivity to platinum, respectively. In GC cells and organoids, long-term treatment with oxaliplatin suppressed SLFN11 expression while imparting drug resistance. The acquired resistance to oxaliplatin was reversed by reactivation of SLFN11 with epigenetic modifying drugs. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report revealing definitive clinical implications of SLFN11 in the treatment of GC patients and providing novel strategies for the drug selection based on SLFN11 expression.

Relationship between interleukin-1ß gene expression in epicardial adipose tissue and coronary atherosclerosis based on computed tomographic analysis.

BACKGROUND: Anti-inflammatory therapy targeting interleukin (IL)-1ß reduced cardiovascular events in a randomized trial. We evaluated the relationship between IL-1ß mRNA expression in epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and clinically-assessed coronary atherosclerosis on computed tomography (CT). METHODS: We studied 45 patients before cardiac surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting [CABG], n â€‹= â€‹18; non-CABG, n â€‹= â€‹27). EAT volume, the coronary calcium score (CCS), and the presence of non- and/or partially-calcified coronary plaques (NCPs) and high-risk coronary plaques (HRPs; minimum CT density <30 Hounsfield units and vascular remodeling index >1.1) on CT angiography were assessed. EAT samples were obtained during cardiac surgery. IL-1ß mRNA expression in EAT was measured using quantitative real-time PCR and normalized to that of ß-actin in each patient. RESULTS: There was no difference in IL-1ß mRNA levels between patients who were scheduled for CABG and non-CABG surgery or among subgroups based on the CCS. However, patients with NCPs (median [interquartile range], 4.1[2.0-11.6]E-4 versus 1.8[0.6-4.5]E-4, p â€‹= â€‹0.024) and HRP (7.6[3.0-20.4]E-4 versus 1.9[0.7-4.3]E-4, p â€‹= â€‹0.0023) had higher IL-1ß mRNA levels than those without these plaques. On multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, coronary risk factors, statin therapy, CCS, and EAT volume, the presence of HRPs was significantly correlated with elevated IL-1ß mRNA levels in EAT (ߠ​= â€‹0.39, p â€‹= â€‹0.047). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest a contribution of EAT to coronary atherosclerosis through molecular behavior, such as IL-1ß gene expression, which may be a new therapeutic target.

Clinical evaluation of FAPlus/FNPlus bottles compared with the combination of SA/SN and FA/FN bottles in the BacT/Alert blood culture system.

Background : The comparison of the performance of FAPlus/FNPlus bottles and combination of SA/SN and FA/FN bottles is not yet reported. Methods : We used human blood samples to investigate microorganism detection rates and the time to positivity (TTP) in a before-vs.-after study (a combination of SA/SN and FA/FN bottles from September 2012 to August 2013 vs. FAPlus/FNPlus bottles from September 2013 to August 2014). Results : The microorganism detection rate was significantly higher in the later period than in the earlier period (11.2% vs. 9.6%, P < 0.001), particularly for Enterococcus and Streptococcus species, nonfermentative Gram-negative bacilli, and Helicobacter cinaedi. TTP for pathogens was longer when FAPlus/FNPlus bottles were used than when a combination of SA/SN and FA/FN bottles was used (14.9 vs. 13.3 h, P = 0.014), particularly, in the case of Gram-negative bacilli including Escherichia coli. Conclusion : The microorganism detection rate was improved with the use of FAPlus/FNPlus bottles compared with the combination of SA/SN and FA/FN bottles ; however, FAPlus/FNPlus bottles seemed to be inferior to SA/SN and FA/FN bottles in terms of TTP. J. Med. Invest. 67 : 90-94, February, 2020.

Uc.63+ contributes to gastric cancer progression through regulation of NF-kB signaling.

BACKGROUND: The transcribed ultraconserved regions (T-UCRs) are a novel class of long non-coding RNAs and are involved in the development of several types of cancer. Although several different papers have described the oncogenic role of Uc.63+, there are no reports mentioning its importance in gastric cancer (GC) biology. METHODS: In this study, we evaluated Uc.63+ expression using clinical samples of GC by qRT-PCR, and also assessed the correlation between Uc.63+ expression and clinico-pathological factors. RESULTS: The upregulation of Uc.63+ was significantly correlated with advanced clinico-pathological features. Knockdown of Uc.63+ significantly repressed GC cell growth and migration, whereas overexpression of Uc.63+ conversely promoted those of GC cells. In situ hybridization of Uc.63+ revealed its preferential expression in poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. We further conducted a microarray analysis using MKN-1 cells overexpressing Uc.63- and found that NF-κB signaling was significantly upregulated in accordance with Uc.63+ expression. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that Uc.63+ could be involved in GC progression by regulating GC cell growth and migration via NF-κB signaling.

Annexin A10 is involved in the induction of pancreatic duodenal homeobox­1 in gastric cancer tissue, cells and organoids.

Gastric cancer (GC) is the third most common cause of cancer­related death in the world. Annexin A10 (ANXA10), a member of the Annexin family, is a calcium­/phospholipid­binding protein; however, little is known concerning its functions. It is still unclear what molecule is involved in the induction of ANXA10. In the present study, we performed immunohistochemistry to evaluate the expression of ANXA10, pancreatic and duodenal homeobox­1 (PDX1) and mucin phenotype markers in 130 GC samples. ANXA10 was detected in 63 (48%) of the 130 GC cases and loss of ANXA10 was significantly correlated with disease progression and poor clinical outcomes in GC. PDX1 was significantly correlated with ANXA10 in GC cases and cell lines. Although PDX1 was not significantly correlated with the GC cases with any of the mucin phenotypes, ANXA10 was preferentially detected in the GC cases with the gastric mucin phenotype. As a further investigation, we generated organoids derived from human GC and identified the duplication of the mucin phenotypes of GC by immunohistochemistry. The repression effect on cell growth that was observed in the ANXA10­knockdown cell lines was also clearly observed in the human gastric organoids. We demonstrated that the expression of ANXA10 was correlated with the gastric mucin phenotype and ANXA10 was involved in the induction of PDX1 expression in GC. We also provided evidence that GC organoids represent a powerful tool for scrutinizing the biology of GC, especially with regard to the mucin phenotype.

Culture-based bacterial evaluation of the appendix lumen in patients with and without acute appendicitis.

PURPOSE: Controversy exists over whether bacterial flora within the appendix differs between patients with and without appendicitis. To examine these potential differences, we cultured the appendiceal luminal microbiota of patients with and without acute appendicitis, and identified the bacterial species therein. METHODS: Fifty-seven patients with acute appendicitis and 37 patients without acute appendicitis who underwent curative resection of colorectal cancer and prophylactic appendectomies (control group) were included. Appendicitis patients were classified into the phlegmonous group or the gangrenous appendicitis group histopathologically. There was no patient with perforated appendicitis. Aerobic isolates were identified using standard identification schemata, and anaerobic isolates were identified according to the Japanese guidelines. RESULTS: There were no significant differences among the three groups in the median number aerobe species present per patient. However, the median number anaerobe species in the gangrenous appendicitis group was significantly higher than that of the control group and the phlegmonous appendicitis group. In addition, the incidence of patients with Bacillus species, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Bilophila wadsworthia increased as the disease progressed from phlegmonous to gangrenous appendicitis. CONCLUSION: The present results suggest that increased diversity of anaerobes and the translocation of Bacillus species, F. nucleatum, and B. wadsworthia are associated with the progression of acute appendicitis.

Clinicopathological significance of claspin overexpression and its association with spheroid formation in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Spheroid colony formation is a useful method to identify cancer stem cells (CSCs). The aim of this study was to identify a novel prognostic marker or therapeutic target for GC using a method to identify CSCs. We analyzed the microarray data in spheroid body-forming and parental cells and focused on the CLSPN gene because it is overexpressed in the spheroid body-forming cells in both the GC cell lines MKN-45 and MKN-74. Quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that CLSPN messenger RNA expression was up-regulated in GC cell lines MKN-45, MKN-74, and TMK-1. Immunohistochemistry of claspin showed that 94 (47%) of 203 GC cases were positive. Claspin-positive GC cases were associated with higher T and N grades, tumor stage, lymphatic invasion, and poor prognosis. In addition, claspin expression was coexpressed with CD44, human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2, and p53. CLSPN small interfering RNA treatment decreased GC cell proliferation and invasion. These results indicate that the expression of claspin might be a key regulator in the progression of GC and might play an important role in CSCs of GC.

Clinicopathological significance of RCAN2 production in gastric carcinoma.

AIMS: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Genes expressed only in cancer tissue may be useful biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and therapeutics. The aims of the present study were to analyse regulator of calcineurin 2 (RCAN2) in a large number of GCs, and to investigate how these expression patterns correlate with clinicopathological parameters and various markers. METHODS AND RESULTS: An immunohistochemical analysis of RCAN2 in 207 GC tissue samples showed that 110 (53%) GCs were positive for RCAN2. RCAN2-positive GCs were more advanced in terms of TNM classification and tumour stage than RCAN2-negative GCs. Furthermore, RCAN2 was an independent prognostic classifier for GC patients. The cell growth and invasiveness of RCAN2 small interfering RNA (siRNA)-transfected GC cell lines were less than those of the negative control siRNA-transfected cell lines, whereas those of RCAN2-transfected cells were significantly increased as compared with those of empty vector-transfected cells. RCAN2 siRNA inhibits the phosphorylation of AKT and p44/p42 (ERK1/2). RCAN2 was colocalised with EGFR, nuclear ß-catenin, MMP7, laminin-γ2, VEGF-A, and VEGF-C. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that RCAN2 is involved in tumour progression and is an independent prognostic classifier in patients with GC.

Intramural florid cystic endosalpingiosis of the uterus after menopause.

Endosalpingiosis is a benign condition characterized by the presence of tubal epithelium outside the fallopian tube and the absence of endometrial stroma. Florid cystic endosalpingiosis is a very rare form of endosalpingiosis that presents as a tumor-like lesion. We report the case of a 67-year-old woman who presented with a cystic lesion of the uterus. Macroscopically, a cut section revealed a multicystic, whitish mass in the myometrium of the fundus. Histologically, the lesion consisted of numerous variably sized glands that were lined with a single or stratified layer of ciliated columnar cells similar to tubal epithelium.

Clinicopathological and Prognostic Significance of Epithelial Gremlin1 Expression in Gastric Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Gremlin1 is an antagonist of bone morphogenetic proteins that plays a critical role in several biological processes including cancer biology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We immunohistochemically examined the expression and distribution of Gremlin1 in non-neoplastic gastric mucosa in a series of 159 GC cases. RESULTS: Among 159 GC primary tumors, 59 (37%) were positive for Gremlin1. Gremlin1-negative GC cases showed significantly more advanced clinicopathologic factors and a trend toward intestinal-type GC. Gremlin1 expression was also frequently observed in MUC5AC-positive and G-type GC cases. Gremlin1-negative GCs had a poorer survival rate than Gremlin1-positive GCs (p=0.002). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that Gremlin1 expression is an independent predictor of survival in GCs. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that Gremlin1 could be involved in GC progression and may be a good marker of long-term survival in GC.

Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Gene Expression in Epicardial Adipose Tissue is Related to Coronary Atherosclerosis Assessed by Computed Tomography.

AIMS: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α reportedly has key pro-inflammatory properties in both atherosclerosis and adipocytes. To further investigate the biologic impact of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) on coronary atherosclerosis, we evaluated the relationship between TNF-α gene expression in EAT and clinically-assessed coronary atherosclerosis on computed tomography (CT). METHODS: We studied 47 patients before cardiac surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting [CABG], n=26; non-CABG, n=21), assessing visceral adipose tissue (VAT) area, EAT volume, coronary calcium score (CCS), and the presence of non- and/or partially-calcified coronary plaque (NCP) on CT angiography. EAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) samples were obtained during cardiac surgery. TNF-α mRNA in EAT was measured using quantitative real-time PCR, and normalized to that of SAT as control adipose tissue. RESULTS: There was no difference in the TNF-α expression level between patients scheduled for CABG and non-CABG surgery (p=0.23), or among the subgroups based on CCS (p=0.68), while patients with NCP had the higher TNF-α expression level than those without NCP (median [interquartile range], 2.50 [1.01-5.53] versus. 1.03 [0.64-2.16], p=0.022). On multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, coronary risk factors, statin therapy, CABG versus non-CABG, VAT area, and EAT volume, the presence of NCP had close correlation with the elevated TNF-α expression level (ß=0.79, p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: TNF-α expressed regionally in EAT may exert potent effects on the progression of coronary atherosclerosis, suggesting a contribution of EAT to coronary artery disease through behavior of molecule.

Pseudomesotheliomatous carcinoma of the pleura: an autopsy case of metastasis from a G-CSF-producing anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas.

Pseudomesotheliomatous carcinoma is a malignant tumor that extends along the pleura mimicking malignant mesothelioma. An 81-year-old male patient presented to our hospital with epigastralgia, and abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed a 36-mm tumor in the pancreatic tail. The laboratory data revealed a high leukocyte count (>44 000/µL). Chest CT showed left pleural thickening with pleural effusion. The cancer showed a poor response to chemotherapy, and the patient died of respiratory failure at 5 months after the onset of disease. Autopsy showed solid tumor with hemorrhage, measuring 6 cm in diameter, in the pancreatic tail, with wide invasion to the stomach, left adrenal gland, spleen, and diaphragm. The left pleura, which was circumferentially thickened by the involved tumor, macroscopically resembled pleural mesothelioma. Histologically, the primary pancreatic tumor was diagnosed as anaplastic carcinoma, due to the absence of glandular structures or other features that would indicate a definite direction of differentiation. The primary lesion and carcinoma involving the left pleura were all positive for G-CSF. We recently experienced an autopsy case of G-CSF-producing anaplastic carcinoma with pseudomesotheliomatous spread.

Clinicopathological significance of SPC18 in colorectal cancer: SPC18 participates in tumor progression.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. In order to identify novel prognostic markers or therapeutic targets for CRC, we searched for candidate genes in our comprehensive gene expression libraries, and focused on SEC11A, which encodes the SPC18 protein. SPC18 plays a key role in the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi secretory pathway and presumably regulates the secretion of various secretory proteins. An immunohistochemical analysis of SPC18 in 137 CRC tissue samples demonstrated that 79 (58%) CRC cases were positive for SPC18. SPC18-positive CRC cases were more advanced in terms of N classification (P = 0.0315) and tumor stage (P = 0.0240) than SPC18-negative CRC cases. Furthermore, the expression of SPC18 was an independent prognostic classifier for CRC patients. The cell growth and invasiveness of SPC18 siRNA-transfected CRC cell lines was less than that of the negative control siRNA-transfected cell lines. The levels of phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor, Erk and Akt were lower in SPC18 siRNA-transfected CRC cells than in control cells. The expression of SPC18 was colocalized with ß-catenin nuclear localization and MMP7 at the invasive front. An immunohistochemical analysis of human colorectal polyp specimens revealed a sequential increase in the expression of SPC18 through the conventional adenoma-carcinoma pathway, while SPC18 was not expressed or was expressed to a lesser extent in serrated pathway-related tumors. These results suggest that SPC18 is involved in tumor progression, and is an independent prognostic classifier in patients with CRC.

Pure invasive micropapillary carcinoma of the esophagogastric junction with lymph nodes and liver metastasis.

Invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPC), an aggressive variant of adenocarcinoma, is associated with a poor prognosis. Although IMPC has been reported to occur in various organs, pure IMPC has only been reported in the breast, pancreas and colon. There are no reports of IMPC of the esophagogastric junction (EGJ). According to previous reports on gastric IMPC, IMPC occupied, at most, 90 % of the whole tumor. IMPC is reported to occur least frequently in the gastric cardia. We herein report a rare case of pure IMPC of the EGJ. A 71-year-old male patient presented with epigastric distress. Gastric endoscopy demonstrated an irregularly-elevated lesion of 50 mm in diameter at the EGJ. The patient underwent proximal gastrectomy, resection of the regional lymph nodes and a punch biopsy of the liver. A histopathological examination revealed that almost all of the regions, including the lymph nodes and the sites of liver metastasis, contained IMPC and that a minute region (<1 % of the whole cancer) contained tubular or papillary adenocarcinoma. The further accumulation of pure IMPC cases like the present case would help to elucidate its pathogenesis.

Balloon Cell Malignant Melanoma in a Young Female: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Balloon cell malignant melanoma (BCMM) is a very rare malignant melanoma subtype. The clinical appearance of BCMM varies; it may be nodular, ulcerated, polypoid, papillomatous and often non-pigmented. The tumor cells histologically appear large, polygonal or round and contain abundant granular or vacuolated cytoplasm. We herein report the case of a 32-year-old female who presented with a focal eccentric pigmented mass in the left lumbar region of 15 mm in diameter that had been present for several years. She underwent tumor excision. The histopathological analysis showed epithelioid melanocytes with clear cytoplasm. An immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the cells were positive for HMB-45 and S-100 protein and negative for cytokeratin. The balloon cell component stained negative for Fontana-Masson. A month later, the patient underwent excision of the bilateral inguinal lymph nodes and metastatic BCMM was revealed. The lymph node metastases showed the complete replacement of lymph nodes by balloon cells. A diagnosis of BCMM (Breslow depth 10 mm, Clark level V) without ulcer was rendered. Staining with Ki-67 was positive in almost 44% of the balloon cells.

Recurrent bacteremia with different strains of Streptococcus pyogenes in an immunocompromised child.

We report an immunocompromised child who experienced two episodes of bacteremia due to Streptococcus pyogenes. Random amplification of polymorphic DNA profiles, emm genotypes, superantigen profiles, antimicrobial susceptibility, and resistance-related genes were investigated, and the results showed different profiles between the two isolates. This is the first report describing recurrent bacteremia caused by different strains of S. pyogenes.

Fukutin, identified by the Escherichia coli ampicillin secretion trap (CAST) method, participates in tumor progression in gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth commonest malignancy worldwide and still one of the leading causes of cancer-related death. The aim of this study was to identify a novel prognostic marker or therapeutic target for GC. METHODS: We analyzed candidate genes from our previous Escherichia coli ampicillin secretion trap (CAST) libraries in detail, and focused on the FKTN gene because it was overexpressed in both GC cell line CAST libraries, MKN-1 and MKN-45. RESULTS: Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR analysis of FKTN revealed that FKTN messenger RNA was overexpressed in nine of 28 (32.1 %) GC tissue samples compared with nonneoplastic gastric mucosa. Immunostaining of fukutin showed that 297 of 695 cases (42.7 %) were positive for fukutin. Fukutin-positive GC cases were significantly associated with differentiated histological features, and advanced T grade and N grade. In addition, fukutin expression was observed more frequently in the intestinal phenotype (51 %) of GC than in other phenotypes (37 %) when defined by the expression patterns of mucin 5AC, mucin 6, mucin 2, and CD10. FKTN small interfering RNA treatment decreased GC cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the expression of fukutin may be a key regulator for progression of GC with the intestinal mucin phenotype.