Fatih Selcukbiricik1, Kayhan Erturk1, Emre Balık2, Buket Bayram Kuvvet3, Melisa Celayir3, Farid Babashov3, Deniz Tural4, Begum Guler Sentürk3, Nil Molinas Mandel1
1Department of Medical Oncology, Koc University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
2Department of General Surgery, Koc University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
3Department of Internal Medicine, Koc University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
4Department of Medical Oncology, Bakirkoy Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Summary
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the correlations between baseline levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) and immunohistochemical (IHC), Human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER-2) expressions; and question their prognostic values in patients with metastatic gastric cancer.
Methods: Gastric cancer patients were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic information, clinical stages, immunohistochemical HER-2 expressions and serum CEA, serum CA 19-9 levels were evaluated at the time of diagnosis. The correlations between HER-2 IHC expressions and the initial marker levels were assessed, and survival analyses were performed.
Results: A total of 411 patients were included in the study. Median age of patients was 58 years (range: 22-90); males: 297 (72.3%); females: 114 (27.7%). Median overall survival (OS) was 24 months (range: 19-29). Patient HER-2 IHC expression 0, 1, 2, 3 ratios were 43, 22, 16, and 19%, respectively. At the time of diagnosis, the median value of CEA was 4 (range: 3-5), and the median value of CA 19-9 was 18 (range: 14-22). The increase in CEA and CA 19-9 levels were correlated with the increase of IHC levels 1. OS of patients with high initial CEA levels (>5 ng/mL) were significantly shorter than those with low initial CEA levels (<5 ng/mL)1.
Conclusion: Significant positive correlations were shown between HER-2 IHC expressions and CEA, CA 19-9 levels. Baseline CEA, CA 19-9 levels predicted HER-2 positivity and this directly affected treatment and OS.
Key words: gastric cancer, CEA, CA 19-9, HER-2, IHC, survival.
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