Background and Aim
Gastric cancer is another marker of CD44 cancer stem cell disease in gastrointestinal cancer, including gastric cancer.
The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of CD44 cancer stem cells in tissues from the gastrointestinal or surgical patients, including the association of CD44 cancer stem cell expression and clinical symptoms in patients with chronic gastritis, precancerous and gastric cancer.
Materials and Methods
Biopsy specimens were obtained from Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and surgery. The gastric lesions were divided into 3 groups according to the stage of the disease. The first group is the chronic gastritis. The second group is the precancerous gastric lesion, including gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia. The third group is gastric cancer. The CD44 cancer stem cell expression was done by using immunohistochemistry technique.
Results
A total 106 patients were included in this study. 68 male and 38 female. Mean age 57±2, including 33 in group 1, 31 in group2 and 42 in group3.Patients baseline characteristic was shown in table 1. CD44 cancer stem cell were expression 2/33(6.06%) in group 1, 7/31 (22.58%) in group2 and 31/42 (73.81%) in group3.significant high expression in gastric cancer patients (OR = 2.98; 95% CI=1.21-4.86; p= 0.024).
Conclusion
Studies show that the expression of CD44 cancer stem cells is associated with the severity of the inflammation and changes of the gastric tissue to gastric cancer. Some patients in group 1 and group 2 who expression of the CD44 cancer stem cell were at risk or high risk for developing gastric cancer. The information above can be used to develop effective patient care. Close follow up should be recommended for high risk patients.