• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.73-78
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• 2020

Cancer incidence has been increasing steadily and is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Gastric cancer is still most common malignancy in Korea. Cancer initiation and progression are multistep processes involving various growth factors and their ligands. Among these growth factors, we have studied hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which is associated with cell proliferation and invasion, leading to cancer and metastasis, especially in gastric cancer. We explored the intercellular communication between HGF and other surface membrane receptors in gastric cancer cell lines. Using complimentary deoxyribonucleic acid microarray technology, we found new genes associated with HGF in the stomach cancer cell lines, NUGC-3 and MKN-28, and identified their function within the HGF pathway. The HGF/N-methyl-N'-nitroso-guanidine human osteosarcoma transforming gene (c-MET) axis interacts with several molecules including E-cadherin, urokinase plasminogen activator, KiSS-1, Jun B, and lipocalin-2. This pathway may affect cell invasion and metastasis or cell apoptosis and is therefore associated with tumorigenesis and metastasis in gastric cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.18
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• pp.7747-7752
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• 2014

Kr$\ddot{u}$ppel-like factor 4 is a transcription factor which plays an important role in development and progression of various carcinomas. Curcumin characterized by excellent anti-cancer properties is regarded as a serviceable natural compound used in carcinoma therapy. This study aimed at exploring the impact of KLF4 overexpression in cooperation with curcumin on the proliferation, apoptosis and invasion of human gastric carcinoma BGC-823 cells. Flow cytometry analysis, CCK-8 assays, transwell assays and Western blot results showed that KLF4 overexpression combined with curcumin had significant anti-proliferation, pro-apoptosis and anti-invasion effects on BGC-823 cells. We also found that KLF4 had synergistic effects with curcumin, better promoting apoptosis and inhibiting proliferation and invasion of gastric carcinona cells. These results indicate that KLF4 could be used as a potential therapeutic target; curcumin could act as an auxiliary and provide a promising therapeutic strategy in stomach cancer.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.51-55
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• 1985

Prospective study of lymph node imaging of twenty stomach cancer cases with dissected lymph nodes being injected into the submucosa layer of stomach under surgical field was done. Total dose of 5 mci in 5 cc of volume was injected along the multiple sites of the lesser and greater curvature of stomach and collected lymph nodes within 2 hour of surgical time were placed under gamma camera and lymph node imagings were obtained. Pathological invasion of tumor and correlation of cold defect or hot uptake was compared each other. Tumor invasion of nodes revealed cold defect area which was correlated well with the pathological specimen. Correlation rate was 84.6%. We are planning to extend these procedures and trying endoscopic injection of positive imgaing agents such as Ga-73-3 Ig 2 alpha in future.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.55-62
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• 2010

Purpose: We evaluated the clinicopathological charicterics and prognostic impacts of lymphatic vessel invasion in gastric cancer without lymph node involvement. Materials and Methods: Among 1,795 patients who underwent gastric surgery with gastric cancer at the department of surgery, Hanyang university college of medicine from June 1992 to March 2009, we retrospectively evaluated 890 patients with lymph node negative gastric cancer. Results: The lymphatic vessel invasion correlated significantly with tumor stage, age, tumor size, perineural invasion and operation method. The survival rates were only significantly different between the patients with and without lymphatic vessel invasion in patients with stage Ia (P=0.036). Univariate and multivariate analysis demonstrated that blood vessel invasion and preoperative serum CEA level were significant factor influencing the survival rate in lymph node negative gastric cancer patients with lymphatic invasion. Conclusions: In patients with lymph node negative gastric cancer, the survival rate is significantly lower in those with lymphatic vessel invasion than in those without. Especially, in patients with stage Ia gastric cancer, the survival rates is significantly different between those with and those without lymphatic vessel invasion. Blood vessel invasion and preoperative serum CEA level is an adverse prognostic indicator in patients with stage Ia gastric cancer with lymphatic invasion. Thus we should consider further adjuvant therapies in case of need and need to show more concern to identify gastric cancer patients early at risk for recurrence.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.527-533
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• 2018

There have been many advances in endoscopic imaging technologies. Magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging is an innovative optical technology that enables the precise discrimination of structural changes on the mucosal surface. Several studies have demonstrated its usefulness and superiority for tumor detection and differential diagnosis in the stomach as compared with conventional endoscopy. Furthermore, magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging has the potential to predict the invasion depth and tumor margins during gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection. Classifications of the findings of magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging based on microvascular and pit patterns have been proposed and have shown excellent correlations with invasion depth confirmed by microscopy. In terms of tumor margin prediction, magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging offers superior delineation of gastric tumor margins compared with traditional chromoendoscopy with indigo carmine. The limitations of narrow-band imaging, such as the need for considerable training, long procedure time, and lack of studies about its usefulness in undifferentiated cancer, should be resolved to confirm its value as a complementary method to endoscopic submucosal dissection. However, the role of magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging is expected to increase steadily with the increasing use of endoscopic submucosal dissection for the treatment of gastric tumors.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.333-344
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• 2023

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent malignant tumor with high fatality. It has yet to be reported whether circ-SNX27 can affect the progression of HCC. This study attempted to analyze circ-SNX27's precise role and underlying mechanisms in HCC. HCC cell lines and tumor specimens from HCC patients were analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting to quantify the expressions of circ-SNX27, miR-375, and ribophorin I (RPN1). Cell invasion and cell counting kit 8 experiments were conducted for the evaluation of HCC cell invasion and proliferation. Caspase-3 Activity Assay Kit was utilized to gauge the caspase-3 activity. Luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were executed to ascertain the relationships among miR-375, circ-SNX27, and RPN1. To determine how circ-SNX27 knockdown affects the growth of HCC xenografts in vivo, tumor-bearing mouse models were constructed. Elevated expressions of circ-SNX27 and RPN1 as well as a reduced miR-375 expression were observed among HCC cells and HCC patient tumor specimens. Knocking-down circ-SNX27 in HCC cells abated their proliferative and invasive abilities but raised their caspase-3 activity. Moreover, the poor levels of circ-SNX27 inhibited HCC tumor growth among the mice. Circ-SNX27 enhanced RPN1 by competitively binding with miR-375. Silencing miR-375 in HCC cells promoted their malignant phenotypes. Nonetheless, the promotive effect of miR375 silencing was reversible via the knockdown of circ-SNX27 or RPN1. This research demonstrated that circ-SNX27 accelerated the progression of HCC by modulating the miR-375/RPN1 axis. This is indicative of circ-SNX27's potential as a target for the treatment of HCC.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.149-155
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• 2012

Purpose: Although serosal invasion is a critical predisposing factor for peritoneal dissemination in advanced gastric cancer, the accuracy of preoperative assessment using routine imaging studies is unsatisfactory. This study was conducted to identify high-risk group for serosal invasion using preoperative factors in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinicopathological features of 3,529 advanced gastric cancer patients with Borrmann type I/II/III who underwent gastrectomy at Korea Cancer Center Hospital between 1991 and 2005. We stratified patients into low-(${\leq}40%$), intermediate-(40~70%), and high-risk (>70%) groups, according to the probability of serosal invasion. Results: Borrmann type, size, longitudinal and circumferential location, and histology of tumors were independent risk factors for serosal invasion. Most tumors of whole stomach location or encircling type had serosal invasion, so they belonged to high-risk group. Patients were subdivided into 12 subgroups in combination of Borrmann type, size, and histology. A subgroup with Borrmann type II, large size (${\geq}7$ cm), and undifferentiated histology and 2 subgroups with Borrmann type III, large size, and regardless of histology belonged to high-risk group and corresponded to 25% of eligible patients. Conclusions: This study have documented high-risk group for serosal invasion using preoperative predictors. And risk stratification for serosal invasion through the combination with imaging studies may collaboratively improve the accuracy of preoperative assessment, reduce the number of eligible patients for further staging laparoscopy, and optimize therapeutic strategy for each individual patient prior to surgery.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.1469-1472
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• 2016

Cancer pathology reports play an important role in choice of patient care. They provide crucial information concerning diagnosis, therapy options, and prognosis. Professional pathology institutions, such as the College of American Pathologists (CAP), have developed checklists to ensure the presence of all the required elements in reports. In this study, 438 surgical pathology reports of patients with breast (148), colon (147), and stomach cancer (143) were evaluated with respect to the presence of mandated elements according to CAP checklists. The most common missing element in all the three types of cancer was 'staging' (73.6, 53.1, and 56.6% in breast, colon, and stomach cancer reports missed 'staging', respectively). The second most missing element was 'tumor site' in breast (64.2%) and stomach cancer (30.1%), and 'procedure' in colon cancer (29.3%). 'Perineural invasion' was the third most missing element in the three types of cancer (25.7, 17.0, and 22.4% in breast, colon, and stomach cancer, respectively). Only 11.4% of reports included all key elements required by CAP. The use of checklists was associated with higher rate of completeness. This study demonstrates that the key elements requiring the information on the requisition forms from the clinicians are commonly missed, leading to ambiguity.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.331-341
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• 2017

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of microscopic invasion to determine the adequate resection margin in early gastric cancer (EGC). Materials and Methods: A retrospective review was performed that included patients who underwent gastrectomy for clinical early gastric cancer (cEGC) at Seoul National University Hospital between January 2007 and December 2010. After subtracting the microscopic resection margin from the gross resection margin for each proximal or distal resection margin, microscopic invasion was represented by the larger value. Microscopic invasion and its risk factors were analyzed according to the clinicopathologic characteristics. Results: In total, 861 patients were enrolled in the study. Microscopic invasion of cEGC was $6.0{\pm}12.8mm$, and the proportion of patients with microscopic invasion ${\geq}0mm$ was 78.4%. In the risk group, tumor location, pT stage, and differentiation did not significantly discriminate the presence of microscopic invasion. The microscopic invasion of EGC-IIb was $13.9{\pm}16.8mm$, which was significantly greater than that of EGC-I. No linear correlation was observed between the overall tumor size and microscopic invasion (R=0.030). The independent risk factors for microscopic invasion ${\geq}20mm$ were EGC-IIb vs. EGC-I/IIa/IIc/III (odds ratio [OR], 3.103; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.533-6.282; P=0.002) and male vs. female sex (OR, 1.655; 95% CI, 1.012-2.705; P=0.045). Conclusions: Male sex and EGC-IIb were independent risk factors for microscopic invasion ${\geq}20mm$. Examination of intraoperative frozen sections is highly recommended to avoid resection margin involvement, especially in cases of EGC-IIb.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.186-191
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• 2004

Primary small-cell carcinomas of the stomach are rare and aggressive malignancies with poor survival rates. Preoperative diagnosis is difficult and a standard treatment is not yet established. We have recently experienced two cases of a primary small-cell carcinoma of the stomach. The first case was a 65-year-old man with epigastric soreness. Endoscopic biopsy showed an adenocarcinoma. He underwent a radical subtotal gastrectomy with D2 lymph-node dissection. Pathology revealed a collision tumor of a smallcell carcinoma and an adenocarcinoma with submucosal invasion and with metastasis in 20 out of 48 lymph nodes (T1N3M0). The second case was a 64-year-old man with epigastric soreness. Endoscopic biopsy revealed a small-cell carcinoma. There was no evidence of a primary tumor in the lung. A radical subtotal gastrectomy with D2 lymph-node dissection was performed. Pathology showed a pure smallcell carcinoma with proper muscle invasion and with metastasis in 1 out of 36 lymph nodes (T2aN1M0).