Mast cell density and the context of clinicopathological parameters and expression and of p185, estrogen receptor, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in gastric carcinoma

AIM: To investigate the relationship between the mast cell density (MCD) and the context of clinicopathological parameters and expression of p185, estrogen receptor (ER), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in gastric carcinoma. METHODS: Mast cell, p185, ER, and PCNA were detected using immunohistochemical S-P labeling method. Mast cell was counted in tissue of gastric carcinoma and regional lymph nodes respectively, and involved lymph nodes (ILN) were examined as usual. RESULTS: MCD was significantly related to both age and depth of penetration (chi(2)=4.688,P<0.05 for age and chi(2)=9.350, P<0.01 for depth of penetration) between MCD>21/0.03 mm(2) and MCDless than or equal to21/0.03 mm(2) in 100 patients; MCD in 1-6 ILN group patients was significantly higher than that in 7-15 ILN or >15 ILN group patients (u=6.881, 8.055, P<0.01); There were significant differences intergroup in positive expression rate of p185, ER and PCNA between MCD >21/0.03 mm(2) and MCDless than or equal to21/0.03 mm(2) in 100 patients. CONCLUSION: Mast cell may have effect on inhibiting invasive growth of tumor, especially in the aged patients; The number of mast cells, in certain degree, may predicate the number of involved lymph nodes, which is valuable for assessment of prognosis; MCD was related to the expression of p185, ER, and PCNA in gastric carcinoma. It suggests that mast cell accumulation may inhibit the proliferation and the dissemination of the gastric carcinoma.